Listen and Think Before You Speak

For the love of god, please listen and think before you speak. Know how the words you're overhearing are being used before you decide to chime in. Get the full context of the conversation that included the comment you heard which jumped into your mind to cause an explosion of words go straight to the mouth before being considered by the mind as anything other than what you heard it. Be mindful of people's emotions and feelings towards the subject, especially sensitive ones. Giving opinions without being asked can cause the receiver of the unlawful advice to become insecure about decisions because of what you said. You do not know the impact words have when you speak them carelessly. They are more powerful than you realize. Words are magic most take for granted. Letting your mouth run ahead of your mind is a recipe for disaster. Learn to train your mouth to wait while your mind processes the words you want to say. How will this impact the person you're giving these words to? Emotionally? Mentally? How do these words come into play? What is the subject? Do you know? Or did you just hear a phrase that automatically leads you to speak without thinking? Words fall out of your mouth like bombs, ready to destroy the mood of the person you're informing. Please don't do this. Don't use the magic of words for evil. Don't make comments you'll regret. An apologize doesn't fix the damage you caused. An apologize only lets the person know you know you've hurt them. The emotions are still prevalent, still tender and raw. You don't understand the damage you've done. Unlike memories, words don't fade away. They stick like glue to your brain. They stick around and play on repeat like a song stuck in their head for weeks. If they really sting, the person can repeat your quote, word for word. They've memorized a memory they would rather forget. It's an unwanted ghost that constantly reminds them of how one person in life views them. The person may even understand that you spoke false words, meaning what you mentioned does not personally apply to them. But what you said stays with them. After comprehending the words and analyzing why you could have possibly said what you said, it doesn't budge from their brain. The words may not hurt but they play with the mind and manipulate how they view themselves. A stranger saying something could mean nothing but you're close to them and have more influential power than you know. They may not show it and they may not acknowledge it, but it's there. The view of themselves has been forever changed by your little comment. Whether they embrace what you said or use it to prove you wrong, the words you spoke without thinking changed a minor but significant detail. It made them stronger after a moment of weakness. It motivated them to love themselves more. When the smoke disappeared, they've become a better version of themselves. The initial hit was painful because they knew what you said was wrong and they cursed your stupid mouth for saying stupid shit. They are the lucky ones, who can analyze words and put them into a context that lets them understand the meaning of a spoken phrase. Others will take those words and motivate them to hurt themselves because others can see what they can see: the worst parts of themselves. Every terrible thing they have ever thought about themselves must be true because you spoke a comment and they cannot see anything else once the smoke blows away. This is a lesson. Be careful with how you choose to use your words. They're the most powerful source of communication you have. What you say will either make you a source of wisdom and comfort or turn you into the boy who cried wolf when there there wasn't a wolf to be found. You'll have zero credibility and whatever you say will first be seen as a lie, until proven wrong. Learn these lessons. Take other people's reactions and emotions into consideration before words fall out of your mouth. Don't use them carelessly. Don't feel the need to comment on something that you heard in passing. Don't throw fire at emotions and watch them runaway filled with burning anger, frustration and sadness. Don't speak without thinking and listening first.