The upheavals of adolescence silenced 'A Christmas Carol' for a few years. I became a firebrand atheist. Christmas - humbug! Too commercial! Then I became an agnostic. Christmas was a pro-forma affair basically a chore. Buy mother a book dad a new tie my brother and sister small gifts. Pretend thanks for the fountain pens and shirts I received.

Silence is an ornament for women.

What could be more lonely than to be enveloped in silence to be the last of your people to speak your native tongue to have no way to pass on the wisdom of the elders to anticipate the promise of the children. This tragic fate is indeed the plight of someone somewhere roughly every two weeks.

Silence and reserve will give anyone a reputation for wisdom.

Silence at the proper season is wisdom and better than any speech.

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.

Not every truth is the better for showing its face undisguised and often silence is the wisest thing for a man to heed.

Truth is not only violated by falsehood it may be equally outraged by silence.

Silence is the mother of truth.

Silence is as deep as eternity speech a shallow as time.

Well-timed silence is the most commanding expression.

Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life contemplation meditation.

I have learned silence from the talkative toleration from the intolerant and kindness from the unkind yet strange I am ungrateful to those teachers.

I belong to a nation which over the past centuries has experienced many hardships and reverses. The world reacted with silence or with mere sympathy when Polish frontiers were crossed by invading armies and the sovereign state had to succumb to brutal force.

Women have seldom sufficient employment to silence their feelings a round of little cares or vain pursuits frittering away all strength of mind and organs they become naturally only objects of sense.

Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts not amid joy.

But with exquisite breathing you smile with satisfaction of love And I touch you again as you tick in the silence and settle in sleep.

I was silent as a child and silenced as a young woman I am taking my lumps and bumps for being a big mouth now but usually from those whose opinion I don't respect.

In a relationship when things are really great you don't need to say anything and just enjoy the other person. Sometimes with a couple it gets dark and you don't know what to say and that silence can last all day. Other times you don't want to stop talking because you don't want to lose one another.

These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed.

The power of the harasser the abuser the rapist depends above all on the silence of women.

A man who lives right and is right has more power in his silence than another has by his words.

Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.

I'm out there arguing the Labor case. I will do it anywhere and everywhere that I can. I do it within various communities across Australia where I am able to make a positive contribution. And let me tell you my voice won't be silenced in the public debate because the issue at stake for Australia are so stark.

From politics it was an easy step to silence.

You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.

Poetry is an orphan of silence. The words never quite equal the experience behind them.

Put a bridle on thy tongue set a guard before thy lips lest the words of thine own mouth destroy thy peace... on much speaking cometh repentance but in silence is safety.

As an artist I come to sing but as a citizen I will always speak for peace and no one can silence me in this.

When I'm off the road my husband and I recharge our batteries. It's a day of deep rest and connection with the spiritual and that can be anything - going for a walk in nature being in silence burning incense.