Too many words!
As a child the saying 'empty pots make the most noise' rang out whenever someone talked too much or 'ran his mouth' as we were wont to describe it. It still rings true today. Have you ever found yourself in a position where your lips moved before your brain processed whatever witty phrase you wanted to say?. If you are human you would agree with me that it has happened to you on at least one occassion and if you are as truthful as me:), you will admit that you still berate yourself for not applying super glue to your lips on those many occasions when it mattered.
With time I have learnt that keeping my mouth shut is actually an asset. I remember times on ward rounds as a medical student when I was on the verge of answering a question thrown out by the consultant as we stood before a patient but having the restraint and the wisdom to pause a few seconds before dishcarging the wrong answer also known in medical student terms as 'purulent' material:) Many a pause saved me from the humiliation (self induced) that was sure to follow giving off pus and not stuff!
These days I know that silence goes beyond speech.It includes actions,and other non verbal cues. Not typing out an immediate response to an email can save your head. In the land of the free, emails and telephone conversations are brief and to the point. No one has the time to ask after the welfare of your family members and your well being. When you receive a call, its straight to the business of the day. It took me sometime to get used to the terse, short conversations and also emails. I love to write letters and so as a habit I carry out my long newsy letter writing skills to emails and go on and on about everything but I am slowly changing my way. When for 6 lines of email you recieve 2 lines which includes a salutation and a farewell no one tells you to cut out the effusive greetings and verbiage you were once used to:)
A verse in proverbs says in the multitude of words there is sin. Maybe this explains the brief nature of the calls and email. A caveat here I do not sin when I write but I guess as your words increase there is a tendency to build castles where nothing but dust exists. In trying to adopt this model however I guess the brevity of the written word would not extend to my blog posts:) If I did that, I would be giving up way too much, for now I hope my blog is a pot which when beaten with a metal rod gives off a dull clang indicating that it is full of substance!
With time I have learnt that keeping my mouth shut is actually an asset. I remember times on ward rounds as a medical student when I was on the verge of answering a question thrown out by the consultant as we stood before a patient but having the restraint and the wisdom to pause a few seconds before dishcarging the wrong answer also known in medical student terms as 'purulent' material:) Many a pause saved me from the humiliation (self induced) that was sure to follow giving off pus and not stuff!
These days I know that silence goes beyond speech.It includes actions,and other non verbal cues. Not typing out an immediate response to an email can save your head. In the land of the free, emails and telephone conversations are brief and to the point. No one has the time to ask after the welfare of your family members and your well being. When you receive a call, its straight to the business of the day. It took me sometime to get used to the terse, short conversations and also emails. I love to write letters and so as a habit I carry out my long newsy letter writing skills to emails and go on and on about everything but I am slowly changing my way. When for 6 lines of email you recieve 2 lines which includes a salutation and a farewell no one tells you to cut out the effusive greetings and verbiage you were once used to:)
A verse in proverbs says in the multitude of words there is sin. Maybe this explains the brief nature of the calls and email. A caveat here I do not sin when I write but I guess as your words increase there is a tendency to build castles where nothing but dust exists. In trying to adopt this model however I guess the brevity of the written word would not extend to my blog posts:) If I did that, I would be giving up way too much, for now I hope my blog is a pot which when beaten with a metal rod gives off a dull clang indicating that it is full of substance!
Your blog is full of substance.I can write that again!
ReplyDeleteBut frankly, our world has lost much on the communal life and the attendant drift into lengthy conversations."Hello" has become "Hi" and almost every word now has an appreviation.The guy sitting next to you in the train has his I Pod phones stuck into his ears...when little cousin visited with his parents the last time, he was completely engrossed in his hand-held electronic game. There is just so much on everyone's mind now that there is no time for lengthy emails.Be that as it may, when we are quiet,we are not necessarily withdrawn
Thanks Amos! The digital age will soon render speech extinct, thanks for the comment and compliment.
ReplyDeleteIf it is true that the world talks too much....I remember you quoting that under the trees in Opebi...!
ReplyDeleteNah! You dont talk too much. If your blog posts become shorter, I wont like it o!!!!!