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Speak
I was sitting the other day with a thermometer in my mouth when I discovered something amazing. The most important trait of the human race is our ability to express ourselves.
I was sitting with my family and we were watching television. There was a program about a space shuttle that exploded during launch. Everyone was talking and I had the thermometer in my mouth and it was very distressing! I wanted to talk. I wanted to add my input but I couldn't open my mouth.
When I took the thermometer out it was a very liberating feeling. There was so much to say, so many comments that I had kept inside because I could not speak. But there was only one problem. The program was over. The moment to speak was gone. I missed it.
That must be how it feels to not be allowed to speak your mind. That is why it is the cruelest thing to rob that right from people. Humans are created to speak, interact and thus evolve. If you break that link then they merely become another animal gracing the face of the Earth.
Never pass on the chance to express yourself, to say what you need to say. If you learn to just shut up, eventually that becomes who you are. And then, many years later, you'd be willing to give up your whole life to be given the chance to travel back to every time you choose to shut up and to express yourself as an individual, as a human, as the highest creation on the planet.
The moment to act, the moment to speak, is always the "now". If you miss the "now", if you don't open your mouth. The moment passes, never to be regained.
Reading this magnifies the gratitude I feel that we're fortunate to work in media and broadcast our thoughts to a wider audience. Hope you're feeling better
ReplyDeleteHey, great post. So right, simple and to the point. It's amazing how we have so many privileges and we don't appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteOne thing though, it was such a funny episode.
It was a funny episode! And it was driving me crazy too!
ReplyDeleteCurious to know who you are anony :)
Great Post, Breathe..
ReplyDeleteYes! People keep waiting for the 'right' moment to speak, to decide, to change.. but many of them never find this moment till when it becomes too late.
This is a lesson everyone should learn -on the right time!
Your post delivers a very nice metaphor, that addresses the issue beautifully. :)
Love the post.
ReplyDeleteI think that animals talk too though, we just don't understand them :)
I loved it. You wrote this article in such a way that the words just rolled of my tongue. Good use of vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. I liked your well organized thoughts.
ReplyDeleteSalam Breathe
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thought!
This is a wonderfully thoughtful post and put so eloquently. I absolutely agree with you. Saying the right thing at the right moment can be so powerful. And so painful if you miss that moment. Although, I have to add that sometimes I'd be happy if I could keep my mouth shut and think before saying something :)
Your post also reminded me of an article I had read about a young man who had decided to go silent for a year (!). His reason was that people only really listen when they don't talk. He did communicate, though, through e-mail and a web site.
Anyway, I love the interactivity that Web 2.0 tools allow us now.
Dude.. blog more often!! Seriously... miss reading your stuff :) It's always awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhile expression is a good thing, one should also caution against overdoing it. Sometimes, silence is golden, and it's better not to speak in every single situation.
ReplyDeleteJust because you have the ability to speak and express, it doesn't mean you should.
We should try to say that which is good and beneficial, and avoid saying that which will harm others or do no good.
In short: good judgement should be excercised.
No new poem after the March one? :(
ReplyDeletethat makes me sad.
i can see how it has traumatised you not to speak after that telescreening.
ReplyDeletejust goes to show how you can't keep your mouth shut.
Doh
ow come on... give us a post eh!
ReplyDelete