“…Then Don’t Say Anything At All.”
I grew up in a time when parents seemed to quote this saying to their children a lot. But the ironic thing with my parents was how they struggled quite often to practice it themselves. In fact, I grew up watching them do the exact opposite of that more than not, which ultimately led to me becoming just like them as time passed. It took a long time for me to realize this, but thankfully I finally did. I have to say I’m a lot healthier these days because of it and really have to give this wise adage much of the credit.
The sad truth for most people who regularly say not so nice things about anything or anyone is that they aren’t really that happy within themselves. Placing a negative focus on someone or something else is their way of making sure the focus is never on them. Because if the focus was on them, their fear is that everyone would see just how miserable they are in life.
That’s definitely the pattern my parents lived while I was growing up and it’s definitely the one I did as well for far too many years. I failed to grasp just how unhealthy this behavior was for both this world and myself. Constantly saying not so nice things did nothing but add more negativity to a planet already filled with so much negativity. And the more I did it, the more my health seemed to take a toll. My Higher Power tried to warn me of this before I became as unhealthy as I did, because there were numerous friends, therapists, and holistic practitioners along the way who constantly gave me reminders of this old axiom. It wasn’t until I became as sick as I did mind, body, and soul though before I made any serious attempts to change this.
Nowadays, I do my best to remain positive and upbeat, not only to support my own health and healing, but also to support that in the world too. Interestingly enough, I should mention that I’ve gotten a taste of my own medicine in recent weeks of how I used to be in life. There have been a number of people who have had not so nice things to say of me on Facebook, on my blog, or in the recovery rooms. Being on the recipient end of each of them hasn’t felt so good, not one bit. In fact, it’s felt pretty bad causing me at times to want to give up.
I’m grateful to say I haven’t given up and don’t plan to. And as much as my parents never fully kept to that old adage that says, “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”, I really am doing my best these days to follow it intrinsically. I honestly believe I’m far healthier because of it and hopefully on some level, I’m also helping to make the world far healthier as well…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson