“Silence made space for other people's words, which was important for those who needed to be listened to.”

“My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.”

“Remember, 'No one's more important than people'! In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured.”

“The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention…. A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words. ”

“Silence allows people to put thoughts into words. Some people might need several minutes to put thoughts into words. Silence may indicate the person is reflecting on experiences, and he or she may just need time to process.”

“Her silence was the blank space between the words.”