--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He kept coming back to the silence. It…" description: "\"“He kept coming back to the silence. It was so big. And surprising. Even when a donkey brayed somewhere in the same valley - loud, long and loaded with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/matt-padwick-54912_meditation_he-kept-coming-back-to-the-silence-it-wa_2308439.jpg" --- # He kept coming back to the silence. It was so big. And… ![“He kept coming back to the silence. It was so big. And surprising. Even when a donkey brayed somewhere in the same valley - loud, long and loaded with loneliness - it did not change the silence, it enhanced it. Like jewels around a beautiful neck. Ed smiled. You can be at the poshest hotel in the…” quote by Matt Padwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/matt-padwick-54912_meditation_he-kept-coming-back-to-the-silence-it-wa_2308439.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/matt-padwick-54912_meditation_he-kept-coming-back-to-the-silence-it-wa_2308439.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/matt-padwick-54912_meditation_he-kept-coming-back-to-the-silence-it-wa_2308439.jpg) > ““He kept coming back to the silence. It was so big. And surprising. Even when a donkey brayed somewhere in the same valley - loud, long and loaded with loneliness - it did not change the silence, it enhanced it. Like jewels around a beautiful neck. Ed smiled. You can be at the poshest hotel in the country, on the planet even, but a farmer can still put a lonely donkey in the field next door. In the same way he couldn't control what arose in his mind - or appears in the world around him - but he could give it space.”” [Matt Padwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-padwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the paradox that external noise or grandeur cannot diminish inner silence; instead, they can highlight and deepen it, suggesting that mental space is shaped by how we allow experiences to exist. **In simple terms:** Outer noise can deepen inner silence if we give it space. Key Takeaway Allow thoughts and surroundings to exist without trying to control them. Themes mindfulness inner peace perception contrast acceptance Mood contemplative reflective serene Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - travel - luxury hotels - rural life - mental health - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism psychology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you create space for thoughts in a busy mind? - Can external chaos ever enhance inner calm? A Different Perspective Silence may be overwhelmed if we try to suppress thoughts rather than accommodate them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“Learning to leave his mind in meditation could be compared to snorkelling, which is breathing with his face under water. 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