I am spewing my thoughts out today because this has been on my mind a bit lately and well, you know me, I like to offload.
I subscribe to the philosophy of 'if you have something to say - just say it, before the moment passes'. I think it originally came to me from a movie and it resonated and stuck like in a gum on the shoe kind of way.
It's a hard thing to do at times, mostly because I am chicken and often scared of how someone will react to my words. I won't lie, I want people to like me, and that means that often I worry too much about saying what is on my mind.
Words unspoken are often the biggest regret in life.
We have all had those 'I wish I said' moments where later after a conversation or an argument or whatever, you wish you had said something and told someone how they made you feel. Those lingering regrets lead to grudges and God knows I have held a lot of grudges in my lifetime and they do nothing NOTHING but fester in you and breed negativity.
For some reason my boys are very giving with the love you's and the kind words, but they are worried about speaking up for themselves in case it offends someone or hurts their feelings. I fear that is my fault as I am always harping on with the old "If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything" spiel and I myself am constantly worried about offending.
I am concerned that I have pushed them too far that way and given them the wrong message and so now I am working with them on speaking up for themselves in a respectful way.
Not everyone is going to like what you say and I know myself it can be so damn awkward and uncomfortable when someone says something to me that I don't like to hear. But clearly if they needed to say it then I needed to hear it and likewise if I hold back I believe I am doing us both wrong by not saying what I am feeling.
And then there are the words of love.
Sadly there are too many of us that have those I wish I told them I loved them more kind of moments, sometimes a little too late, after the person is gone from this life.
I listened to my mum tell one of my sons the other day that she loves him and man did that make my heart swell. I realised that I don't tell my own parents nearly enough just how much I love them. Maybe I don't tell anyone enough ... except my kids cause well I tell them at every given opportunity plus some. But doesnt everyone want to be told they are loved. WHY do we hold back??
I know that one day the chance to tell someone I love them will be gone and I don't want to spend the rest of my life wishing I had said it more often.
I have a voice for a reason and what is the point of it if I don't use it as a way to allow my heart to speak.
Unspoken words are regrets and life is too short for regrets don't you think?
How do you go with this? Are you comfortable with saying out loud what is on your mind?
Have I told you lately that I love you! (You just totally sang that didn't you ;)
Have I told you lately that I love you! (You just totally sang that didn't you ;)
