Say
Nothing
“Be
still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you,
say what you've got to say, and say it hot.” D.H.
Lawrence
This
seems to be one of those mornings when I have nothing to say. Sitting
here on the third-floor porch looking out at the lake, hearing rain
drops splashing on leaves, and birds beginning their daily round of
foraging, I am inclined toward silence.
Some
of us feel compelled to speak, to fill the air with words no matter
what, but there are times when keeping quiet is the better part of
wisdom. Charles Caleb Colton, an 18th century English
cleric and writer, wisely advised, “When you have nothing to
say, say nothing.” When you have no knowledge of a subject,
when others are debating something in which you have no interest, we
Southerners sometimes say, “My dog is not in that fight,” and let
it go at that. Better to have no opinion than one that is ill
informed and inane.
On
the other hand, when you are passionate about something, and feel
moved to speak, by all means, speak your mind. It's good in such
cases, however, to have the facts correct, and to be able to state
them without vitriol. You're more likely to be heard and taken
seriously. When anger is the vehicle, all the recipient hears is
that—not the content of what you say, only how you say it.
Today,
choose words carefully. Think before you speak. If you have no
opinion, or you know nothing about the subject, sometimes a simple
smile is the best means of communication. Also, it's okay to say, “I
don't know.”
In
the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment