My word, whether it is written or spoken, creates my world and impacts the lives of others. I need to guard it carefully and make it as sacred as my actions. I would never slap a loved one in the face, yet, upon occasion, I let go with a verbal assault that is the emotional equivalent. And, I always regret it. I need to remember that those who I love and care for rely upon my word. If I speak harshly of another, that person is impacted, but even more, I will have consequences. That person will not trust the love I profess to have for them. If I say “this is so or that is so or this will happen or I am this or that or will be this or that” then I need to take care and heed my own word because those words create the energy that I will live. If I cannot make it so, I lose credibility, belief, faith, and reliability. I have come across people who believe it is okay to give their word, break their word, and then say, “oh, sorry,” and then think that the next time they give their word, I am going to trust them again; I trust them less the next time, even less the next time, less, and less, and less.
Don Miguel Ruiz wrote a book called The Four Agreements. The first agreement is “Be Impeccable With Your Word.” Don Miguel points out in very simple language that we also cause ourselves problems with our words through gossip. Gossip is talking about another person outside of that person’s presence and most gossip words are negative manifestations. My perception of what another person is doing or saying is clouded by my own interpretations and belief system. I am capable of passing judgment without knowing or fully living another person’s experience. Knowing I cannot ever live another person’s experience means I must acknowledge this tendency to judge, accept it, and realize I have the power to not exercise it.
To myself, I must first be true; my word to myself I will first keep, and then to all of you.
©2010 by Barbara L. Kass
Eternal Presence 
March 28, 2010 at 10:35 am |
Barbara – Your blog and its contents are beautiful — I’m so glad you’re here!
I have signed up to receive a subscription to your posts, and I just added ETERNAL PRESENCE to the blogroll on SPEAKING FROM THE HEART.
The tags in your tag box will ‘grow’ and ‘get puffy’ as you continue to use them. The more you use a tag, the bigger (darker, puffier) it will get. If you want something to really stand out, simply use it a lot.
March 28, 2010 at 11:04 am |
Barbara, you always bring back to mind things that I know as absolute truths and guides for Living. I try to my utmost to keep my word, not only because that is what I was taught by my elders, but because I have so often been on the receiving end of broken promises. To tell the truth, I have seen times in my life when I didn’t own much more than my word and it was the most valuable thing I possessed and was careful of it’s being given too lightly. My opinion of myself matters much more to me than the opinion of anyone else and I like knowing that my word can be counted on, no matter what.
I like your your writing style so much, I think you should keep a journal to be poured over by your friends and descendants in the days to come. Your words are so vital and yet easy to read that the message behind them is absorbed into the consciousness of the reader the way a dose of vitamins hidden in a chewable Flintsone cherry flavored tablet is ingested without a grimace. Mmmm…, Good, and good for you too!
March 28, 2010 at 12:27 pm |
you both are so full of encouragement and acceptance – thank you
March 28, 2010 at 10:04 pm |
Ok now I get the Flintstones joke…….You will have to pardon me, as I am still trying to get around!
I appreciate your honesty here. I repented many times, especially when my kids were younger, of a wild tongue to the ones I waas supposed to have loved the most. What a sad sad timem it was. I now try to really put myself in the others shoes before anything comes out of my mouth, thisat least causes me to limit the sharp tongue or gossiping challenge.
It is definitly an ongoing challenge of acceptaing outselves and imroving at the same time.
January 2, 2011 at 8:00 am |
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