Interesting stuff Bob. I use long pauses in my masonic ritual and often get comments from the old past masters that my delivery has good pacing. Sometimes it causes the prompter to jump in though, which is kinda frustrating!

Similarly, when playing music in a band or jam setting, you can tell the more experienced musicians (of which I am one) as they don't feel they have to be filling every bar with all the notes that they can. I try to let the music breath and move.