Don’t say what you don’t mean

Words have always enthralled me because words have life. And the life that is given to them is breathed by the speaker of these words.

They can make you sing or they can make you sad. They can make you laugh or they can make you cry. They can heal, or they can hurt. They can give you wings to soar or they can chain you to a dark dungeon. They can make bright days seem gloomy or gloomy days seem brighter than the sun. They can charm your heart or cheat your mind. They can beckon you into new heights or can cause you to fall into deep pits.

They have the power of life and death.

I went through a distressing time this week when I had to be stern with a few of the people I interact with on a daily basis. My mind threw up words that would have wounded. Words that were careless and insensitive. Words that I knew were not to be uttered but God knows I was more than willing to utter.

But through it all that small firm voice said to me again and again: Don’t say what you don’t mean.

I had to wait to calm down.

Fast forward: I did not say what I wanted to say and guess what? The problem was resolved in a more gracious way because of the choice of the words and tone that was soft and gentle but conveyed the message.

It was worth the wait and at the end of it all we could all still smile.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . So grateful to you for the grace you bestowed on me. But for you I am nothing.

Overwhelmed

My life’s been touched by my friends today. Friends who surprised me by going out of the way for me and simply doing everything they possibly could to make this day a day I will never forget all my life.

Etched in my heart is the sounds of their voices and laughter, the sights of flowers, wrappers and treasures hidden within but best of all the love and care that was shared so generously and so spontaneously that I simply felt overwhelmed.

Now at my bed-side I sit writing this post.

I want to voice words that could say thank you but what I feel is much too deep to be conveyed by those simple words. I want to do something special for each of them but I realize that will never be enough either. I want to whisper a special wish on every one their lives and hope the next morning their wish will come true but that may not be possible to do.

So instead I choose to bend my knees and say a silent prayer for each one of those beautiful people who blessed me and made my day breathtaking in every way. Just know it is the best gift I could give.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . : ) [Somehow that’s all I feel like saying. I guess you understand.]

Popularity or Criticism

I was watching this talk show on TV and a prominent sports person from my country was posed this question: Popularity or Criticism – Which is harder to face?

Well, I’d encourage you to answer that question for yourself before you go on! : )

He tactfully answered it saying that they both have their Pros and Cons and you really cannot tell. Constructive Criticism he said helps but still may not be pleasant and popularity does get into your head but definitely feels more pleasant.

Personally I find criticism, constructive or otherwise difficult to take but I thrive on appreciation. Well, who does not? ; )

Anywayz, the point is I *know* criticism really helps me and am ultimately so grateful to the people who take the time to let me know when I am out of line. Popularity on the other hand, makes me feel like a princess for a day but the bad side is I may wake up the next morning and find it was all a dream!

The difference is one is an instant energizer the other a pill that will help with time. And some of us need more of any one while others need an equal portion of both but none can live without either. My point: I’m going to be happy when I am dished out either coz they complement each other and generally come together.

So getting back to our question, which is harder?
I’m just gonna have to tactfully say that they both have their Pros and Cons and you really cannot tell. ;)

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . I’m glad that you blend into our lives a perfect mix of things that enable us to grow into your perfection.

The Secret Keeper

I watched this movie called “Little Secrets” for kids recently that inspired this post:

An aspiring 14-year-old concert violinist named Emily spends her summer practicing for an audition to get into a prestigious Youth Orchestra. She also runs a secret-keeping business, in which other children give her fifty cents to tell her a secret, which she promises to keep; this is a talent that she is very good at. Every afternoon a long queue of little ones wait to share their secrets with her and be counseled at times. What no one knows is that the secret keeper has a tragic secret of her own!

Meanwhile, new neighbors move in next door, including Phillip. During the move, he accidentally breaks a valued chess piece and is caught by Emily as he attempts to bury it in the front garden. Phillip pays Emily fifty cents to keep his deed a secret, and to hide the piece in her treasure trunk along with other broken property from her other clients, in paper bags labeled with their names.

Things take a turn for the worse when Emily who never tells a secret, confides in Philip who urges her to tell him a secret of her own. She soon ends up telling a secret that her friends share and is very depressed about breaking her code.

To comfort her, her Violin tutor tells her a painful secret of her own and helps her understand that you can never be close to the people you love as long as you hide things from them.

As she listens to her, Emily who loves to sit on the rooftop and play her violin tumbles and falls. She is rushed to the hospital and slowly gets better surrounded by family and friends.

Teary eyed, she finally finds the courage to confide in her friends for the first time and tells them about her own deep secret. Her parents were killed by a drunk driver when she was just a few months old and her life was miraculously spared. She was then adopted by her mum and dad.

After Emily is released from the hospital, her life is turned around. She and Phillip return all of the paper bags and money to her clients and encourage them to tell their secrets even if was hard, painful or fearful.

Emily learns not to hide her own secret but is overjoyed to find a strange freedom that comes from both being honest and being loved for who you really are.

Hmmm… it’s a movie that leaves you touched and thoughtful.

As I journeyed with Emily through the ups and downs of her life, I learnt that it’s not easy to share secrets with anyone and sometimes perhaps more so with people close to our heart for fear of rejection. But Freedom, intimacy and love spring from a heart that is not hidden but honest.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . I know I am not always honest with you. I wonder what keeps me from being honest. Strengthen me so I will learn to always have an honest heart before you.