Too Much to Say

I have always been blessed or cursed with a spontaneous need to talk and a mind full of questions. At an early age I remember wanting to be with the adults who seem to have much more interesting topics of conversation than that of my siblings or young friends. Not that I understood much of what was being said, I just enjoyed being with older company. I imagine this would be the reason I kept hearing "you are older than your years". 

However, growing up and entering the workforce, my tongue seemed to be more controlled and I hardly spoke until spoken to. Of course that changed very quickly as I got to know people.  I was a very shy person but when I got into a conversation I found my tongue again and out poured all this talking!  I actually put this down to being self conscious and felt uncomfortable with silences, albeit, I am a good listener when one can get a word in.......I was never very good with 'small' talk and felt a conversation had to have meaning. Anyhow, I feel more at ease these days as I now walk, read and write a little and I take the time to think more rather than talk too much. I still like to have an opinion and that will not change. 

A little folk tale to ponder -

A turtle lived in a pond at the foot of a hill. Two young wild Geese, looking for food, saw the Turtle, and talked with him. The next day the Geese came again to visit the Turtle and they became very well acquainted. Soon they were great friends.

"Friend Turtle," the Geese said one day, "we have a beautiful home far away. We are going to fly back to it to-morrow. It will be a long but pleasant journey. Will you go with us?"

"How could I? I have no wings," said the Turtle.

"Oh, we will take you, if only you can keep your mouth shut, and say not a word to anybody," they said.

"I can do that," said the Turtle. "Do take me with you. I will do exactly as you wish."

So the next day the Geese brought a stick and they held the ends of it. "Now take the middle of this in your mouth, and don't say a word until we reach home," they said.

The Geese then sprang into the air, with the Turtle between them, holding fast to the stick.The village children saw the two Geese flying along with the Turtle and cried out: "Oh, see the Turtle up in the air! Look at the Geese carrying a Turtle by a stick! Did you ever see anything more ridiculous in your life!"

The Turtle looked down and began to say, "Well, and if my friends carry me, what business is that of yours?" when he let go, and shattered his shell into a thousand pieces.

As the two Geese flew on, they heard the people say, when they came to see the poor Turtle, "That fellow could not keep his mouth shut. He had to talk, and so lost his life."

The moral to this little tale is, simply this, by saying too much, someone could be hurt, you could lose friends and or family, or at worst someone could lose a life. So, perhaps we should learn when to keep quiet and listen to our inner self.

Have a thoughtful day