How I Learned to Speak
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. Proverbs 17:28 NIV This was the scripture that I used as my excuse for not speaking. Can you imagine, a teenager with nothing to say? The problem was, I had too much to say! I just couldn't decide which of my thoughts to speak. I was overwhelmed with word and subject choices. And as I was worrying over the decision, the fast-talkers would yabber away and leave me "deciding" in their dust! When I DID say something, I'd often go to that place of FEAR! What if I said the wrong thing? What if I was misunderstood? What if I appeared foolish? What if...? My grandfather had teased my grandmother forty years ago about her "what if" worries. Now here I was, carrying on in her place! My silent times became more frequent, until I noticed that I was only getting quieter. The longer "I held my peace," the harder it became to speak. The less I practiced communicating, the mor