Sweet Speech

Who I am:
I am a fairly optimistic person...a glass-half-full type of gal. I tend to believe the best of people, giving them the benefit of the doubt, time after time. I am also more introverted than extroverted although I love spending time with people...what this usually means is that I am the listener and the entertained, by the things others say. Sure, I can be witty, entertaining, and talkative...but I naturally tend to absorb more than I tend to expend.

What this means:
This means that I listen to others. A lot. This also means that I am more of a peace-keeping type of person and often am given counselor or advisory type roles. I tend to show compassion and understanding even if I also understand the other side of the story too. There is a confrontational side of me (in addition to the counselor side of me)...this is the side that will offer suggestions of how to fix the problem, will offer the other side of the story and will, rarely though it may be, tell some one that its time to move past the problem.

How this affects me:
Because I am often the listener, I hear a lot of words...and not always welcomed words. Because I am often a counselor/consoler, people want to hear feedback from me. What I have learned in my lifetime thus far is just how important words are. Negative words, cruel words, bitter words...these are all like poison...quick to hit the target and spread their pain. Remarkably, they hurt not only the person who receives them but also the person who speaks them. Sweet words, positive words, and charming words...these are like life...they have the ability to breathe life and encouragement to people and can propel others to do good. And again, they have an equally good effect on the speaker as well as the receiver.

I want to be more than just someone who is good at listening and consoling.
I want to be a speaker of sweet words.
I want to look continually for the good in all things, in all people and to encourage others to do likewise.

Maybe that's why God has given me the last 5 years...
Time to practice.