I’ve been listening to Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, which is an account of his journey along the famed Appalachian Trail.
I love Bryson’s ability to describe life’s moments—big, small, hilarious, or sombre—with so much personality. He’s had me laughing out loud multiple times, and that doesn’t happen often when I’m listening to books.
Early on in the journey, Bryson and his hiking buddy, Katz, fall into a rhythm he calls ‘companionable silence’. They’re at ease with one another, they help each other with their daily chores, and they do it all in complete, comfortable silence.
Maybe you’ve felt it before, too. Perhaps with family, or a close friend. Where time passes with few words spoken, but the world feels right.
And maybe, just maybe, this is a unique time in our lives when companionable silence is something we can cultivate, get good at, and enjoy.