"The most precious things in speech are pauses"

This quote by Ralph Richardson speaks to the power of silence and the significance of taking time to pause and show. It recommends that the pauses in our speech can be simply as meaningful as the words we use. Pauses can be used to highlight a point, to provide the listener time to process what has been said, or to produce a minute of suspense. They can also be utilized to give the speaker time to believe and to select their words carefully. Pauses can be used to produce a sense of intimacy and connection in between the speaker and the listener. They can also be used to develop a sense of secret and anticipation. Simply put, stops briefly can be used to communicate a range of feelings and ideas, and they can be simply as effective as the words we utilize.