Thinking Before We Speak

I have pondered for several years what I wanted to do with my life. I have explored different paths that I could allow myself to go down. I find myself, today, realizing that with every interest I've had and every passion that's consumed me, one thing remains clear; my need to make a difference.


Today I listened to the conversations around me. Many consisted of horrible topics and very few, I found, to be uplifting. These voices around me spoke of others and included myself. They were not kind words. I found myself wondering if people cared for others anymore. Have we, the human race as a whole, become as hateful as the words around me would seem? Is it possible no one thinks before speaking anymore?
Is it feasible that if we took a moment to think before we spoke we'd realize the person we're speaking of may have feelings, may already be hurting, could be the way they are for reasons we could never begin to imagine? Perhaps that person is already very fragile or perhaps, God forbid, they are right around the corner about to hear each awful word we vomit about them? If we paused and asked ourselves these questions would we then withdraw our judgmental statements we were about to speak?
Sometimes the heat of the moment hits us and we speak the vicious thoughts we think. Sometimes it's overheard and sometimes no one is around to hear us. But, even worse, sometimes a human being is hurt. I would hate to think that you all would dare hurt another, or that another would dare hurt any of you. We are all guilty of being mean at one time or another. Maybe, just maybe, next time we think of judging someone we should pause for a moment and ask ourselves what is gained by it. Why should we place ourselves on a pedestal when we are no better than anyone else? Who gave us the right to judge another human being that feels what we feel and struggles with the same struggles we do? Some people, believe it or not, feel a pain like nothing we could ever know and struggle in a way that would only kill us that have never experienced it. So, again I ask, why be mean? What is it that we gain?


As I mentioned, I've realized my need to make a difference. If I cause just one of you to pause for a moment before you say something about another or even not say anything at all, I've made a small difference. I am by no means innocent of these “crimes”, but maybe by writing this, I missed an opportunity to hurt another persons feelings. And maybe, by asking you to read this, I stopped you from hurting someone else.....

That too made a difference.

-Mysty Rayn


"Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve the silence?" -Sai Baba