Are The Words You Say Who You Are?

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Donald Trump came under fire for comments made 11 years ago when he thought he was conversing privately.

I’m not about to defend his comments but I’m wondering if there is anyone reading this who would be uncomfortable if everything they ever said would become public?

I’m sure that at sometime in my life I’ve said some things privately that surely would offend someone or hurt someone’s feelings.

That’s sort of why we share things privately and don’t post them publicly.

I would estimate that most of us only show about 10 percent of ourselves to the public.

To say you’re an open book might be the biggest fallacy of all time. We're a securely locked book on the very top shelf of the bookcase well out of reach.

Take A Stand

If you do feel strongly about an issue or position then take a stand and defend that position. Even if it’s politically incorrect in some circles.

Have you ever changed your mind? Had suspicions of someone you met only to discover after knowing them awhile you became good friends?

Do you have a friend that you sometimes feel the need to ignore when they make some off color remark that you disagree with?

But it’s not enough to end the friendship?

Words And Stocks

I own some stocks. And all stocks come with the following warning; “Past performance is not an indication of future performance.” Or, words to that effect.

It means that just because a stock did well in the past doesn’t mean it will continue to do well.

People are the same way. Just because someone was a jerk in the past is no indication they will be a jerk in the future.

We often make judgments about people based on what they have shown us in the past. It’s our only frame of reference.

Do We Ever Really Know Someone?

Suppose you had a hard time in school in your hometown and went to a university and flunked out.

While you were at that university you worked at a pizza place for several years and eventually rose to branch manager.

If you came back to your former hometown to try to open a pizza place would people think you have any chance for success?

You evolved; you changed yet your hometown only knows the failure they witnessed when you used to live there.

Their preconceived notion will be to predict another failure. Not realizing that you have acquired the knowledge and experience necessary to run a successful business.

Some Final Thoughts

Our lives are a series of ups and downs. We say things in the heat of the moment that we often regret.

But once it’s out there, — it’s out there. Sure you can apologize but that is often too little too late.

Are you sorry? Or are you sorry you got caught?

The bible says, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Are we really in a position to judge others with our own indiscretions locked tightly in the closet behind us?

Some words and feelings are unacceptable to polite society. I prefer to give people the opportunity to better themselves.

Not to please me, but to improve as a contributing member of society.

We sometimes miss our faults until they’re pointed out to us. I guess the best rule is to think before you speak. Or as my mother used to say, “If you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all.”

Comments below.

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