I just finished reading a book called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Excellent read by the way. The first agreement is “be impeccable with your word”. As a writer, I found that statement really made an impression on me. Words are very powerful. You can choose the wrong one and alter the meaning of something important or say the wrong thing and change someone’s life forever. I choose the words I use very carefully when I am writing. Not so much when speaking because of the spontaneity of the moment and tendency to respond on a quicker basis. To know my truth, to live it and to speak it every day in every situation is whom I strive to be and worth the challenge. Claiming to live under the pretense of joy, love and compassion, I’d better put my money where my mouth is.
I am grateful to have a gift to put words together in a meaningful, constructive and entertaining way when some people struggle to assemble even a sentence. I feel a responsibility to be a woman of my word and stick to it. I need to be better at that, and spend less time passing judgment on others and situations. I will start in my thoughts first, long before they become my words, especially on paper. I often wrongly pass judgment on myself, so I must start a great big campaign to toss out words of encouragement and kindness to myself. If I don’t matter to me, how can I possibly matter to others. And I will be conscious of practicing that theme of joy, love and compassion until it’s expressed every time I speak, write or think. I’ll be impeccable.
Culture and social media make it easy for us to throw our opinions out quickly without thought. Surveys, comments, reviews on everything imaginable. Life rated. Very few opportunities exist for us to just stand back, watch and listen without distraction of phone or computer. I’m taking every chance I get to slow myself down to the point where I’m ready to remember the importance of my word. To think before I speak. People often pay me compliments on my writing, calling me inspirational and funny. Before I am any of that, I’d like to be known as someone who is impeccable with my word, for this by default can only result in natural transition to speaking and writing the language of love. And I want to make it my purpose to do that loud and clear and consistently. I can only imagine how satisfying that will be in the effort to being at peace with myself. What a goal.
And now, sharing a Little Joy: Waking up and hearing a lawyer commercial: “We have all of the extensive resources you need.” And thinking I just heard, “We have all of the expensive resources you need.”
Going out for lunch when it is 20 degrees outside and returning to the bonus of a second row parking space, only to forget after work and doubling your walk backtracking when you remembered!
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