We recently visited an interesting coastal town in New Jersey that does not allow man-made noise on weekends.

That means lawn mowing, landscaping and construction projects must be done on weekdays only. Weekends are for peace and silence. I love it!

Crashing ocean waves on jetties and a continuous chorus of bird songs are not drowned out by drills, hammers and weed trimmers. The vibe is calm.

And that is why I, and probably many other folks, like to escape to quiet beaches. We can immerse ourselves in tranquillity.

The peace I always feel in that setting led to thoughts of unnecessary noise we are subjected to day after day, and not always from power tools or lawn equipment.

Sometimes the unnecessary and irritating sounds emanate from the people around us.

Who among us does not know someone who talks incessantly? I know several such individuals.

Fortunately I make sure I rarely see or talk to them and wish I could do so even less frequently.

Every one of us seems to have a boorish acquaintance or relative who dominates conversations and offers unsolicited opinions and criticisms or tries to top every story.

Put simply, they do not know how to listen. Nor do they want to.

Interestingly, the words “listen” and “silent” are comprised of the same six letters. I doubt that is a coincidence.

We cannot listen if we are not silent.

Furthermore, we never learn anything by talking.

It’s only when we stop talking and truly listen that we might learn a valuable piece of information or a new viewpoint not considered previously.

Some people find listening difficult.

Fortunately I am not one of them.

Friends consistently tell me I am an excellent listener who remembers almost everything ever told to me, sometimes to their chagrin.

I know people who try to monopolize every venue they find themselves in.

Even when they are not speaking, they aren’t listening.

They are planning what they intend to say the moment a speaker takes a breath.

These folks should not be surprised to find their audience plotting an escape.

Before long, these chatter boxes will be talking only to themselves.

To avoid being the person everyone else tries to avoid, we have to learn the magic of silent company.

Sometimes when friends are venting about health concerns or problems in their lives, they really don’t want our advice or opinion. They just want to get it out of their system.

Our silent listening and quiet encouragement can be more healing than any words we might carelessly utter.

Remember, we do not need to be the center of attention all the time. Supporting roles are incredibly valuable.

No matter where we are or whom we’re with, we will encounter people with opposing views or values we cannot change.

We need to accept that fact and be at peace with it.

We never will persuade everyone to see the world as we see it.

I have some friends and family members with beliefs I cannot accept or understand.

Politically we could not be further apart.

Yet we are able to enjoy each other’s company on all other levels, so we are civil and respectfully ignore our differences. We know when to be quiet.

Silence. Listening. These are the keys to successful relationships, both personal and business.

Often, these also are the keys to attaining inner peace.

As my wise grandmother reminded us kids many decades ago: “You were born with two ears and only one mouth. That should tell you something.”