Fluit Fluit my Storie is uit!

Here are a few worthy sayings to remember around speaking.  "When you have nothing to say keep your mouth shut" or "don't speak for the sake of speaking" or "put a guard on your tongue" or "stop opening your mouth to let your belly rumble" all permutations of the same theme; the lesson being to be careful to speak unnecessarily and to make sure that when we speak we do so with facts and less about ourselves and more to be an encouragement to others or to give real value to the conversation.  If we cannot do so then the mantle is to rather say nothing and to listen more.  We all like to hear the sound of our voice thinking that we can be a sage or anointed preacher because we have so much knowledge about life.  However speaking continuously actually negates people's  opinion of you being smart or intelligent and rather places you in the category of 'annoying man' trying to impress.  It is sometime very difficult to hold back the words and yet other times we wish that we had rather kept quiet.  It is so important to learn the skill of listening far more than speaking and very few people understand the value of being silent.  In social circles the quiet person in the room is always asked "why are you so quiet?" or 'are you cross?' Some people are just naturally talkative and express themselves truly when they are speaking.  Others cannot help themselves and have to comment somewhere in a sentence and still others, when given the stage, will talk for days if allowed.  Finding the perfect balance makes you a better friend or confidant because the person may actually give you a chance to bring your point across, rather than being there to change the subject and interject because you are hogging the conversation.  Be wise when giving advice and when asked to do so, always leave your emotions at the door and put the other person in the spotlight, to see what they need instead of being selfish in taking the centre stage and forgetting that the person who may be needing good advice is now having to endure your voice.