Talking.

I started this blog for several reasons, but it was primarily because I decided to start talking less and wanted an outlet of sorts - a place to hash out my thoughts.  I decided that in part because I think I talk too much, but also because I think people (myself included) listen too little.  

There have been several, unexpected I must admit, repercussions as a result of this conscious decision.  I won't elaborate on all of them, but I will briefly share a few.  One thing I have found is that when you decide to talk less, the words that you do choose to say become more important.  Maybe they are not more important to anyone else and maybe the words are not profound or deep, but they are important to you.  And that is very important.  And when you speak those words and they are ignored or uncared for - you hurt.  You feel silenced, even though you are not silenced, because you are, in fact, speaking.  

I have also found that people talk just to talk.  They search to say something new or provocative or interesting, but their search is not through their mind, it is through their words.

Talking just to talk cheapens the worth of the spoken word.

"You aren't learning anything when you're talking."

Lyndon B. Johnson