Take It Back
If only...
Have you ever wished that you could take something back, knowing that it is impossible to do so? I have said things and afterward have scratched my head in wonder thinking, why did I say that? Or why did I say that? I could rolodex my memory and come up a specific occasion to share but then I would have to relive the why part in perplexity. My point is this, we cannot take back what we have said but we can be sorry for it. Very sorry. Here in lies the truth and the struggle. We say what is on our minds, heart, whatever we have been mulling over, and in the moment it feels appropriate and has the weight of truth. In the aftermath, the thinking and processing, the struggle starts with the wondering how things could be different if only...
Death sentence
Recently, my mother and I sat in a hospital waiting room for a scheduled test. When we arrived, there was an elegant lady seated there. Within minutes, my mom was teary eyed and I had moved one chair closer to the lady to offer her some comfort as she told us she only had a couple of months to live. The news came to her from her doctor the day before and she spoke in broken resignation, a death sentence hanging over her head. She believed the doctor, accepted his words as factually definitive. His words, I sense, will define her belief system for the rest of her brief days. She will indeed die, not because he told her so, but because she believes in his judgement, his authority as an expert with experience, his ability to predict the future. Scary, isn't it, our power to influence one another, to castigate, to condemn, to speak as though we know or have a crystal ball telling us what will be? Why did he say that?
Words spoken cannot be magically unspoken
I tell you the story with a shrug. I am not judging the doctor because I would be a hypocrite if I did-after all, I have used words caustically, emphatically, presumptuously, impetuously, knowingly, and pridefully too. All the desire in the world to take it back doesn't change the facts-words spoken cannot magically be unspoken. Having this knowledge means that a different way may need to be investigated, with words being chosen as precious gems, selected with ears to hear before they are uttered.
No crystal ball
Death sentence
Recently, my mother and I sat in a hospital waiting room for a scheduled test. When we arrived, there was an elegant lady seated there. Within minutes, my mom was teary eyed and I had moved one chair closer to the lady to offer her some comfort as she told us she only had a couple of months to live. The news came to her from her doctor the day before and she spoke in broken resignation, a death sentence hanging over her head. She believed the doctor, accepted his words as factually definitive. His words, I sense, will define her belief system for the rest of her brief days. She will indeed die, not because he told her so, but because she believes in his judgement, his authority as an expert with experience, his ability to predict the future. Scary, isn't it, our power to influence one another, to castigate, to condemn, to speak as though we know or have a crystal ball telling us what will be? Why did he say that?
Words spoken cannot be magically unspoken
I tell you the story with a shrug. I am not judging the doctor because I would be a hypocrite if I did-after all, I have used words caustically, emphatically, presumptuously, impetuously, knowingly, and pridefully too. All the desire in the world to take it back doesn't change the facts-words spoken cannot magically be unspoken. Having this knowledge means that a different way may need to be investigated, with words being chosen as precious gems, selected with ears to hear before they are uttered.
No crystal ball
In my musings I speak to myself, relating to you what I would like to be aware of and change so that I do not give a death sentence with my thoughts and then my words. No crystal ball here, no fortune or future telling abilities, just one human relating to other humans in a flawed and yet to be word gem polished way. This is my work, awareness, evolution of my soul. What is your work dear reader? You can't take back what you have said, what you have done. You can be sorry for it and want to be different, better, new and improved. Painful self scrutiny is all that is required! Oh the fun of the struggle dear one.
Biblical Truth
I end with Biblical truth, signposts to look for when measuring yourself against Gods desire for our hearts, minds, words and actions:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).
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| Self-control in spoken word |
I end with Biblical truth, signposts to look for when measuring yourself against Gods desire for our hearts, minds, words and actions:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).
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