The Sound of Silence
Lifted by my words and a soulful Cantor—among many voices, The Sound of Silence calls us home to the light within and the belonging that steadies us—into the new year and beyond.
I spent a lot of time alone in my room growing up. It was a place to shut out the noise of my family—and hide from the wrath of my older brother.
Sometimes I’d read a favorite book, or imagine myself conquering a people and setting them free. Sometimes I drifted into the silence of sleep.
But even then, I dreamed of escaping a prison or city where the people were being imprisoned and killed by a tyrant who thought he controlled the world.
In recent years, I still retreat to the silence of my bedroom, but now I write. I focus a lot on the lost child inside—longing to be heard, searching for a way home.
Similar to the past, the silence now takes me to writing—on behalf of the many who have lost hope. They’re having a hard time… and are feeling alone, often not seeing the truth of who they are—and who they were always meant to be.
I call this the light of invisibility. It's the Core Self—the source of our humanness, holding the power of healing—both the pain and joy within.
It's the meaning of life—the light in our hearts that enables us to listen, give, and heal—both for ourselves and others. It's a sense of gratitude and wholeness—for simply being alive.
The sound of silence is no longer a refuge from my aloneness. It's belonging to something greater, where our differences are valued and respected.
It's the light that burns in our hearts, holding the hope—helping us know we matter. Allow yourself to feel it—and you’ll know it as your truth.
When the seas are swirling in the darkness or you’re lost in the fog, know that I‘m holding the light—along with others close to your heart.
Even if you can’t see it yet, it‘s always there, guiding you to the hidden treasure inside that goes far beyond fame and fortune.
Although the meaning is clear, you may not know the words yet. You’ll know it when you feel it. It's love—and it lasts forever.
It's embodied in the song, The Sound of Silence, written by Paul Simon and accompanied by Art Garfunkel.
In celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the special version of this song below, led by Cantor Azi Schwartz at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York, is truly sacred. It carries both pain and joy, along with the light and hope of healing—a new beginning.
May the silence make the light glow brighter. It silences the voice of hatred and tyranny through time—helping us reclaim our power and guiding us back home.
Let this be our song—The Sound of Silence—a song of life and truth we will never forget—always famous in heart.
I’m fully awake now and am not alone—as we listen together.
Confidentiality note: Any resemblance to your own life is both coincidental and universal—reminding us that our stories echo one another in the shared fabric of human experience.
Comments or questions? Email me at mcecilvt@aol.com. Feel free to share these words—and this blog—with anyone you hold close or long to be held.
Dr. Cecil is a licensed psychologist, certified AEDP supervisor, approved EMDR consultant, and senior CSRT consultant. He specializes in treating complex relational, developmental, and transgenerational trauma, bringing therapy to life through heartfelt stories and images of connection and healing that emerge from the light of invisibility.