Well-intentioned Words

Today I am grateful for naps, air conditioning, forgiveness. 

This is a repeat of the quote I used in a post the other day.   

"A loving silence often has far more power to heal and 
to connect than the most well-intentioned words." 

(Rachel Naomi Remen)

That post focused on the first part of the quote. Today, I turn my attention and writing to the second part. 

Well-intentioned words. I like to think I choose words well both when I write and speak, but there are certainly many times I fail, and a loving silence or blank page would have been the best choice. Regrets. Remorse. Wishful thinking. Do-overs. 

Silence can fail to convey what we might want it to convey, but it has the distinct advantage of also limiting the potential damage.  It is safe to say my tongue has been more hurtful than my silence. 

With words come expectations or our own meaning that may be misunderstood. We think others will interpret what we said or wrote in similar fashion. They may not. Words can get jumbled in ways silence will not. 

And when applied to my own inner world, silence is definitely more calming and clarifying than racing thoughts that often plague me. In fact, the silence often allows the few needed words to make their way to my consciousness. 

Weigh your words and silence today. Have a good weekend!