Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.
(Mark Twain)
You don’t think anyone is listening. Everyone has an opinion but no one wants to listen. You are drowned out by the voices around you. Are you being heard? You’re losing your voice or are you losing your identity? Should you use a megaphone?
Is anybody out there just like me? Fear, you cannot grip me. I don’t have to let fear overcome me. Fear – you have no right to be here. Just because I am silent doesn’t mean I have no opinion or I am stupid. I still have my voice, but I can choose when I speak or listen.
But what do I really want to say? I’ve been rehearsing in my head each time but when it comes my turn to speak, my mind goes blank. What do I do? Should I just retreat and listen? As long as I don’t lose myself. Actually, it is better to listen, than to talk all the time. You can take the time to compose what you want to say in your head. Most importantly, you can take the opportunity to observe others, while they are talking.
It’s not so bad after all. As long as the others don’t misunderstand your silence. It is good at times not to do all the talking, but to be the listener instead. In fact, it takes more self-control not speak when you want to. When you’re talking, you can hardly hear anything anyone is saying to you. You gain wisdom each time you pause, because when you do speak, you are more careful with what you say.
Your words become a precious reflection, not only of your thoughts, but can also give an impression to people of who you are. The good part is you can be authentic and sincere, by carefully choosing what you wish to say. You can filter your words.
You don’t have to say everything you feel like saying. When you do that you may only get temporary satisfaction. But very soon when you reflect on your words, you may regret what you’ve said. This is the case if your words were not very encouraging. Perhaps you should apply the Triple Filter Test before you share what you want to say. There is a proverb that says no one knows he is the fool until he speaks. So be quick to listen and slow to speak. Good advice but difficult to follow. If you can do it, you’re wise.
Artist: Lydia C. Text: Anna G.
The Frogs and the Tower
There was once was a bunch of tiny frogs… who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants..
The race began…honestly, no-one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard such statements such as:
“Oh WAY too difficult!”
“They will NEVER make it to the top”.
“Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!”
“The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one… except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher… the crowd continued to yell. “It’s too difficult! No one will make it!”
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up… but ONE continued higher and higher and higher… this one wouldn’t give up!
At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! Then all of the other tiny frogs wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it.
A contestant asked the tiny frog how it succeeded in reaching the goal? It turned out that the winner … DEAF!
