Measure Your Words

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

Years ago an anonymous writer penned
a short poem about the merit of measuring
our words.

“A wise old owl sat in an oak.
The more he saw the less he spoke.
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird.”

There is a connection between wisdom
and limiting what we say.
It is wise to be a good listener,
while holding our tongue at bay,

Be sensitive to the needs of the one
you are speaking to.
Listen to what their heart is saying
before expressing your point of view.

Footnote:
Although there is a time to be quiet
and a time to speak (Eccl.3:7),
choosing to speak less allows us to
hear more.

Translation