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Something for the Soul: What a quandry

By Winnie Bolton

Words, words, what do they mean? Even when we put them into sentences trying to express our thoughts, they don’t always say what we intend, hard as we try.

Then we you’ve got it right, clear to understand, someone says, “What’s that you are trying to say or could you explain further?”

So what’s a person to do?

Well try uttering from the belly – gut feelings rarely lead us astray. Our brain uses intuition when there isn’t time for in-depth analysis – lightning-quick impressions result from past experiences stored in our memory.

Yes, the gut is different because thoughts do hit us there first. That gut feeling can honestly say what the heart may not want to admit or the mind might try to rationalize, justify or hide.

“Don’t ignore me,” cries the belly. “Don’t skip over me going up northward to that emotional heart or that sifting, sorting mind of yours. Give me your burps of discontent and anxiousness and I shall set you free.”

Better still, try acknowledging a four-letter word called “love,” which can harness adversity and direct prudence. When we are anchored in love, words will follow that are hopelessly correct.

I don’t worry much about words now since I’ve learned to respect the honesty of my gut, tempering it with keeping teaspoonsful of love.

However, I am working assiduously in silence these days because silence can be golden or downright yellow. See what I mean about when, when not to or how to use language.

Into a silent mode, listening can make an entrance, another dilemma, like really listening to others and listening to our Maker.

The Lenten season will be ending soon so perhaps we could consider how words, silence and listening play a part in communication skills – like what we believe, who we really are or ought to be in living out our lives the right way, ethically and with integrity.

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