My mom likes to remind me that, if I have nothing good to say, I shouldn’t say anything at all. It’s wise advice that I don’t always take. I often have something to say, and it’s not always nice. I’ve learned that, if I say it with a smile, people seem to take it better.
Being a person who usually has an opinion, it’s strange when I don’t have one. Most days I share my beliefs of the American Dream, freedom, that all kids are awesome, and that a positive outlook can change the world. These are important ideas that truly matter. Yet, maybe I overdo them, and my passion overplays my message.
So what happens when you don’t have anything to say? You search, you consider, you wonder … and still nothing to say. The pressure of having something important to say – some life-altering message -- can really get to a person.
To relieve that pressure, all people need time to clear our minds. A silent mind is just as important as those crazy moments of wisdom. Providing that “down time” frees a person to relax and just be. Having nothing to say allows a person to observe and, hopefully, find new thought.
So perhaps we should just be: relax and soak in the world around us, watch what is happening, and smile just for the sake of smiling.
No pressure to say anything. Just smile.
I’m Elsa Glover, and that’s my perspective.
