TALKING FOR TALKING SAKE?

Talking involves conversation, saying words, speech delivery or serious subject discussion. What touches my heart most in the Contemporary English Dictionary is the definition of talk as "giving a sensible opinion about things". (Talk sense). Do not say anything if you have nothing to say.

Barima Takyi mensah; May his soul rest in perfect peace!!! My mentor in the 80s punished me anytime I insulted or made irresponsible statements. He however did not forget to praise brilliant statements and actions. During lent, if I was able to fast to 6pm, I was given a full fowl and 2pm for two days, I had a fowl as well. One thing he asked me to learn to do is to shut up if I had nothing 'sensible' to say. "Where you have to talk at all cost, make sure your statement makes you more friends than enemies". He used to say.

Looking at his advice from hind sight, I still see the wisdom in what he told me. At a point, youthful exuberance made me throw some of his pieces of advice to the 'dogs' and paid for it dearly. He taught me to pray every morning before stepping out, I forget and face a bad day; he taught me to abstain from alcohol, I ignored that wise counsel and nearly died. I have no intention to brush his direction to stay mute if I have no idea or my idea will hurt untruthfully.

The art he said is; if you want to make statements that hurt, it should not be immediate. Make the statement alright, but the one it hurts should move away from where the statement was made before feeling the impact. That is the situation where you make a statement for people to clap and 30 minutes later, someone calls to say why did you have to do that to me. This same complainant would have given you a hand shake at the point you made the statement.

It will be sickening for anybody to say, feel or think that for the above quality, I am a coward, reserved or a hypocrite. I am not comfortable if I have to blow my own trumpet. Bring it to me and I will deliver. My most scary moment is when I have to dance because I am not good at it at all. I still dance because I have seen people whose dancing steps are worse than mine. This is not to say that because people talk for the sake of talking, I will follow suit. I will continue to talk from my head and heart.

Biblically, what comes out of one's mouth is an overflow of what is on the mind. No one deserves pardon if not for the use of a human face for making a senseless statement. We all pardon because we all make mistakes. The forgive us our tresspasses prayer and its condition, as we forgive our tresspassers. The major reason for pardoning loose talking.

Have a great day folks and remember before you open your mouth to talk especially, talk sense, make sure the statement has gone through the mill (your brain). Talk is cheap but cheap talk is more expensive than a well thought of talk. Hey guys, forget those loose speeches, hahaha they were the times we tested impact of ignorance. I have also forgiven your loose talk.