Say It's Possible

Sometimes, I wonder what's going on in peoples' minds when they say the things that they do. Why don't people think before spouting off whatever meaningless comments that pop into their heads? Is it really that difficult to weigh--however briefly--the impact of your words before you say them?

Stupid question, I suppose.

This is something that has always bothered me. At the risk of sounding like I have a superiority complex, I'd like to assert that I've always handled this issue with great care. It's a personality trait, I guess. My desire to avoid conflict has taught me to be very careful with my words, so as not to offend anyone.

Tact. What a novel concept--a concept that seems, quite sadly, to be foreign to certain people. Whether it's complete disregard for others' feelings or just simple ignorance of the gravity of their statements, many people--in my humble opinion--need to brush up on the art of being tactful.

Let's launch into a vivid, horribly exaggerated example, shall we?
Eugene: Hey guys, sorry I'm late!
Francesca: Oh, it's alright. We really didn't even notice--or CARE--that you weren't here!

Ouch. Again, I admit that that was a fairly unrealisitic bit of dialog, but it merely serves to illustrate my point. I think that tactlessness often stems from spewing out unnecessary comments. If the lovely Francesca had simply stopped speaking after "Oh, it's alright," Eugene wouldn't have been offended, and everyone would've lived happily ever after. What's that old saying...? "If you don't have anything nice to say...staple your lips together and never bother speaking again." Yeah. I think that's it.

I realize that I'm probably leaning toward the extreme side of things here. Admittedly, I tend to sugarcoat things and distort my comments to please others, perhaps sacrificing a bit of honesty in the process. Is that any better? I can't be sure, but I do know that there's a happy medium to be found here, so keep searching...

To me, it's not a difficult concept. I'm not blunt, outspoken, or very outgoing, so I tend to shy away from speaking my mind, anyway. I know that other people enjoy saying what they think, and that's fine, too. But, on occasion, just ask yourself: is it really worth saying this comment or making this joke? At the end of the day, will it really benefit you all that much? And, more importantly, will it hurt someone else?

Think about it.

Keep a tight grip like a child

Holding onto a swing set,

Waiting and hoping to find

What I can't figure out yet,

Please don't unless this is something you mean,

Another nightmare instead of a dream,

Better left alone.