Shhhh!

There are some moments where the best thing to say is nothing. This is harder for some than it is for others - and even harder for someone who tries to provide a new blog entry every day. Yet, words are limited and the search for the perfect answer can lead to silence.

I've noticed lately how often I find myself interrupting others, as though whatever I want to say is more important than what they share. Often I talk about whatever I want to tell and then find myself saying "And how about you?" just before I leave or before I end the call. What new things could I have learned or what burdens could I have shared if I had just listened?

Larry Hagman, the actor who played JR in Dallas, had a habit of taking one day each week and remaining silent for the whole day. I imagine that such a regimen made his speech more deliberate and thoughtful during the rest of the week. For me, I just want to learn to be quiet during a conversation or two and just listen. Listening can say so much more than talking.

Who Matters?

Do you worry about what other people say about you, too? Are you concerned that others are spreading rumors or saying things about you that aren't true? Well, rest assured, they are. Sometime today, someone somewhere will make a comment about you that is not entirely accurate. It will probably not be meant to be malicious, but the remark will not have all of the facts straight. Most likely, whoever hears the remark will not question it, but just accept it as fact. Now that you know that, where is the needle on your Paranoia Meter?

So much of my life has been wasted in trying to correct rumors or track down gossip. "Someone said this..." or "Someone said that ...." It is as futile as trying to put a chicken back together after a weekend with Colonel Sanders...it just isn't going to happen. I have learned that those who want the truth seek the truth. Think about this: Do you really care about someone's opinion of you if they are so easily swayed by a malicious whisper? Do you want your friendships determined by polls? Me neither.