a hard place.
Perhaps you can help me?
All my life I've spoken my mind,
sometimes not always with an air of diplomacy.
I try, oh how hard I try, not to say what I think,
with or without the addition of knobs on.
I just don't know what to do for the best.
Should I put a sock in it permanently and try not to say
what I think or feel?
Trouble with that is, I'm not being true to myself.
As I value truth over just about everything else,
the bottom line is I'm stuffed if I do, and
I'm stuffed if I don't.
What do you think?
I just don't know what to do for the best.
Should I put a sock in it permanently and try not to say
what I think or feel?
Trouble with that is, I'm not being true to myself.
As I value truth over just about everything else,
the bottom line is I'm stuffed if I do, and
I'm stuffed if I don't.
What do you think?
A little diplomacy is always sensible but essentially I think you should stick to your furrow because honesty is definitely the best policy. I wonder what it is that has caused you to question your own character. A good, stiff walk in the countryside will plod away this mood of self-doubt.....Best wishes - Russell Grant Pudding
ReplyDeleteCarry on carrying on girl! I'm an absolute true Sagitarian, I speak the truth totally oblivious of the impact, always done innocently and with the best of intentions and always cock it up when I try to explain what I meant. You can't win so you might as well be true to yourself.
ReplyDeleteThere's a difference between honest and being blunt (not a difference that I always find, myself, but I try!). Sometimes, just saying nothing, not changing the subject but saying zilch is as eloquent as saying, "You're WRONG!" The other person sometimes takes a while to cotton on to the fact you don't agree, but they usually do in the end. I am trying to learn to say something like; "Well, I understand what you mean but I'm wondering if maybe such and such is the case..." . When I have managed to use that approach it works. After all, I may be adamant that something is true, but I could be wrong, especially if I had their viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteI love to disagree, but manage not to offend, I think. Instead of being blunt I turn the conversation into a debate. Mr N says my favourite phrase is, "Yes, BUT..."
ReplyDeleteLL ~ it comes down to the situation and the people involved I think. I am with Wooly Dog as a Sagittarian and speak the truth and only later realize that saying nothing would have been a better approach. As I get older I have come to learn that no one has appointed me the keeper of truths in the world ~ there are many untruths and one never knows what makes us all perfectly flawed as humans. OMG too deep xx
ReplyDeleteWell as another sagittarian I must say speaking my mind has always worked for me. Everyone knows where they stand and because of that they trust what I say, no double speak. Plus being forthright also means telling people the good stuff too. Now I'm older I will always think before I speak but the truth will out, it's in my nature. The alternative is to second guess how people will react to what you want to say and to modify your opinion, that's not being honest to yourself or anyone else for that matter. Carry on LL.
ReplyDeleteJean x
Thank you all for your comments, I must confess I've had a crisis of confidence. Not like little old Leo me! Whether it has anything to do with me writing Doris' story... maybe? I feel raw remembering, but somehow strangely calm and content that I'm finally putting the record straight for my lovely Mum.
ReplyDeleteLLX
Carry on regardless Linda, we love you the way you are! x
ReplyDeleteLinda, I think you state the problem too baldly. Its not an either/or - ie, its not put a sock in permanently and not say what you think or feel, or say everything in your head whatever the circumstances. Sometimes its good to do one and sometimes the other, and I think this is how you operate anyway, so stop worrying!!!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I value truth above everything like you? As Carol in Cairns suggests (I think) alot of truths are truths as we see them, and we see things through a thick layer of prejudices, biases, opinions, etc etc, so its not always easy to know whether we're right (on the whole I tend to think I'm wrong about most things). So I'm not sure I know what truth is in a lot of situations. I value integrity and kindness highly, possibly more than truth per se. And I think you have both of these in spades!
D