Honestly Living, living Honestly - what does it look life?
At church today I made a effort to live my life more honestly and I am scared what the reaction will be but I am even more scared that what I think won't make a difference, that no one will care. I want life to have a point and tried to express a thought to that end today. At the same time, same place I shyed away from taking a stand that I should have taken...of stating I would not accept a behaviour...I feel like Peter when he denied Christ, I feel like I did not stand for women kind, something I actually feel strongly about....
I think all kinds of courageous thoughts but I rarly say them. I am famous for saying I was so mad I ALMOST said something. When do you say a possiblly "rock the boat" kind of thing and when do you show caution and not rock the boat so that when the boat really needs to be rocked "THEY" take you seriously? I usually error on the side of caution but often leaves me enraged on the inside... What is living honestly? Obviously it is not saying every thought in your mind but what do you say and what do you not say? This is my boggled mind's question today...What does it meant to live honestly? Please let me know what you think.
posted by mimlap @ 2/26/2006 04:37:00 p.m.
5 Comments:
My personal take is that you DO say everything that's on your mind,...even if it is ONLY expressed to yourself (and/or to a friend or spouse). Part of finding your most honest side is admitting who you really are to yourself. The more you practice admitting these things to yourself, the easier it becomes to speak your mind to others. You cannot be honest with someone else if you cannot be honest with yourself first.
As far as discerning when to voice or not voice an opinion,..that takes practice too. One might say too much one time and too little another. These self-taught lessons should be packed in our little bag to use the next time.
Experiencal Learning. I'm all about it.
This also causes LOTS and LOTS of mistakes :)
So plenty of humble pie must be eaten to combat this unfortunate fact.
Honesty and Humility, sister traits.
Humility is also very important when dealing with the responses of others to your declarations of honesty. Even well voiced, generally validated opinions can be shot down or attacked.
I'm rambling again.
Also, I don't mean to sound too preachy - really its that I"m SO passionate about this subject.
I am proud of you too!
You made a choice to be in relationship. When you choose to not speak, to not open yourself up, then you are choosing to not be in relationship with others... If something is truly bothering you and you choose to not deal with it, you are withdrawing from the relationship!
Of course, with that one needs to combine wisdom of when you need to stand and speak and when you need to sit back and listen and think... When you need to confirm whether or not your perception is actually reality. (I find that it often isn't!)
Anyway, I think you are trying - and that is good! Thank you!
"Never give up, never surrender!" - Galaxy Quest
And I am sure that either T or R will have something to say about my use of "to not" vs "not to"... Whatever, I'm an accountant!
tt - you are too wise - and quite susinct! Nicely put!
What-evar!
Hey, it was great to see you in the big T-dot!
Remember those Peanut Cartoons!? (The Doctor is in. Help $0.05)
Today is Lucy's day off, so here goes...
Universal Self Help Mantra: Whatever your natural inclination, do the opposite.
(Insert qualifications here, more intended to limit my culpability than to help you.)
Sometimes I wonder if God will be more upset with me for the true things I said, that were hurtful, or the true things I didn't say, where ultimately my silence or dissembling remarks were hurtful. In my case, I have noticed that I have failed in both ways, and that in both ways, these failures have been grievious.
So in the future, perhaps if I were to do the opposite of what came naturally, I'd be closer to fine.
Warren
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