You Say It Best

You Say it Best, When You Say Nothing At All.  This is Calvin's favorite Alison Krauss song.  How ironic.   When I am being my very best self, the best friend, the best teacher, my very best parent--I talk less and listen more.  Those rare moments when I hold my tongue and guard my words, especially with my children, are truly the best.

In his book, Living Buddha, Living Christ Thich Nhat Hanh compares Christianity to Buddhism, from his Buddhist perspective.  Don't worry friends and relatives, I'm not starting a new church.  But, I do believe that the Holy Spirit can do anything, including using a Buddhist precept, to bring us closer to Jesus Christ.  The fourth precept is:

Unmindful Speech Can Kill
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering.  Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure.  I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break.  I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.  

Wow.  How far I am from that.  I seem to screw up over and over with people I love. I say the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong tone of voice.  But, hope springs eternal.   Ultimately those screw ups are why Christianity wins for me.  I need that grace, that forgiveness, that daily renewal of my baptism.

It is all variations on the same theme--thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor--if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all--and the Kotrba mantra: Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true?

Tomorrow is another chance to practice--saying nothing at all.