I reiterate, at the risk of repeating myself.
I am still trying to find the fullest measure of love and life. My choices don't please everyone. I realize that, but it is a catch-22 situation.
The harder I try to please certain others, the less satisfied I am. They define their own arbitrary rules for things that seem axiomatic and standard to me. Truth is not situational or a matter of convenience. That which is true one moment must necessarily be true the next, all else being equal.
I am an advocate of Thumper's Rule -- "IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMTHIN' NICE, DON'T SAY ANYTHIN' AT ALL".
As a result, I find myself speaking and writing less and less. Perhaps silence is perfection.
7 comments:
Silence and saying mean things both wind up with lonely, sad people.
Isn't it better to take a little risk and reach out to others?
Because when it does work out the result is GLORIOUS!
Bill
I agree that silence is wonderful when appropriate. One thing that bothers me about the temple here in Houston is that they speak very loudly (to me, anyway - this is Texas, after all; perhaps they think they're whispering...).
I also agree with my father, though. It was Joseph's vocalized prayer that summoned the vision. It is the cries for help that get heeded, not the silent suffering. I believe very strongly that one of the highest and best reasons God sent us to our families is so that we could lift each other, sound ideas off each other in a safe, peaceful environment, and share laughter, tears, shouting, loving...
It is true that we should strive to be patient, meek, submissive, full of love, etc. But there are times when we should reprove with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost...
And sometimes the silence is deafening.
I hope you never stifle yourself on my account, Jim. I love you and I want/need to hear from you.
The Latin maxim is "silence gives consent".
I think Mark Twain said it better though. I think he said something like -- better to be thought a fool and suffer in silence, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. That pretty much says it for me, anyway.
Not convinced that it makes any difference.
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest.
I used to think that if I spoke the truth, the people I thought cared about me would stand by me. Then I guess I found out who actually cared about me. I learned that a man hears WHO he wants to hear and disregards the rest.
Sad but true.
Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
I had thought for a time that some were able to engage in dispassionate discussion in the pursuit of truth and understanding, notwithstanding differing opinions.
Circumstances would seem to indicate that I was mistaken.
I'm still learning...
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