Silence isn’t the absence of noise but a canvas for your soul’s desires.

The silence is louder than any ringtone.

I think deeply about the concept of “the call.” I’m not talking about a call from a co-worker about that meeting or a text from a friend that buzzes in your pocket. I’m talking about a different type of call – one that doesn’t come from any cell tower and doesn’t require a 5G connection.

So, where does this call come from? The Universe? A higher calling? Or perhaps – within?

How do we answer the call in our world of constant alerts, mindless scrolling, and endless email? Here’s the catch: to even think about answering the call, you must first hear it. Eliminating my phone has become my sanctuary of silence, enabling me to listen to what I’ve been missing.

The irony isn’t lost on me.…thinking about “the call” yet deliberately avoiding the pings and notifications from a phone.

The concept of “answering the call” often manifests as a pivotal moment in someone’s life that serves as a turning point that redefines their path and, by extension, impacts the world.

Several people come to mind when I think of those who have been courageous enough to answer the call: J.K. Rowling, Martin Luther King Jr., and Steve Jobs.

J.K. Rowling’s life was marked by constant struggles – unemployment, poverty, and depression. Within the stillness, a story whispered about a young wizard. This call would result in stories that have captivated millions.

Imagine Martin Luther King Jr. hearing his call that would be louder than any protest or hate. Not just a calling but a moral obligation he pursued with vigor and grace that would catalyze a generational movement. Not a job or role he followed with hesitation, a calling that he believed in so much that he was willing to die for it. Are you even listening, or is your comfort zone wearing noise-canceling headphones?

Steve Jobs heard his internal call to galvanize a team of engineers and designers to create something the world had never seen. His call to create the iPhone didn’t just redefine Apple; it completely changed the way the world communicates with each other.

I remember that restless night a few months ago when the Universe whispered in my ear to give up my phone for an entire year. I had a missed call that flashed across the screen of my awareness. A call without a dial tone, a message with no text, and no voicemail to listen to.

What would you do? How would you answer when there’s no caller ID?

Reflecting on my first 76 days this morning, I reached a revelation that hit me like a staggering left jab from Muhammad Ali.

‘My call’ has nothing to do with my phone.

What precisely will these next 289 days reveal? TBD.

When we dare to sit in silence, the divine whispers are deafening. God, or the Universe if you will, doesn’t shout; it slips whispers into your soul’s silence, threading its messages with surgeon-like precision between your thoughts.

Yet, the constant through these shifting thoughts is God, the eternal foundation. Even when we deviate, lured by siren calls that veer us off our path, He remains steadfast. Knowing that enduring presence is always there offers a compass to reorient us, calling us back to our true north.

I’ve not just learned to tolerate the silence—I crave it. It’s a sacred space where I’ve found answers and unearthed questions I didn’t even know I had.

Can you tolerate enough silence to crave it? Are you courageous enough to listen?

The calls that resonate the most don’t vibrate – they reverberate in your soul.