Skip to main content

Would you rather always speak the truth or everything you say will end up coming true?

A couple weeks ago one of my students asked me this very question. My first instinct was to say that I would always rather speak the truth. However, the more I thought about it, I began to change my mind. While it is admirable to always speak the truth, it might allow us to become better listeners if everything we said came true. Let me explain.

Our precept for this month is “Listen First.” This has carried over into many of our class conversations. One of the ways I evaluate students during our “Fishbowl Discussions” is their attentiveness. Sure, talking during a discussion seems obvious, but sometimes really listening to what others have to say first can help us form our thoughts and extend compassion to others. When we take extra time to respond we are able to carefully measure what we say.

If all of us took a little more time to listen rather than respond, we might say less. When it comes to answering the question, above, if we are careful about what we say because it will become true, there might be less divisiveness. The world we live in is so divisive, and social media does not help. We are all so reactive and quick to judge. Being able to respond behind our computer screens makes it even easier to make divisive comments.

I admit, there is another side to the argument that says that people might say horrible things on purpose just because everything they say would come true. However, I choose to see the positive implications of something like this. Although this is a fictional scenario, I think it is an important reminder to be careful what we say and listen first.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 22, 2018 at 6:31 AM

    This is a really good blog. I like what you had to say Mr. Lehman!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousOctober 22, 2018 at 1:37 PM

      Thank you, Maggie! I appreciate the kind words.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousOctober 25, 2018 at 7:34 PM

    I always love reading your blogs! You are a very nice writer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 26, 2018 at 10:27 AM

    i agree with maggie

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 26, 2018 at 5:13 PM

    Mr. Lehman with facts again !!!! great job buddy

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Habits of Success

In a moment of vulnerability, I would like to explore the idea of self-belief. This has not always come easy to me. Self-doubt so easily creeps into our minds on a daily basis and can cripple our productivity. When we believe the lies about ourselves, it is difficult to move from the impossible to the probable. Rather than thinking about ourselves as not talented enough, not athletic enough, not smart enough, we should focus on our strengths and developing the right habits. I have always been fascinated by grit and persistence, which I will blog more about later. However, I recently came across a tweet by author and motivational speaker, Jon Gordon . Gordon speaks in great detail about positivity and using our strengths to propel us forward. As you can see from the screenshot include in this post, Gordon speaks to those habits we can control rather than the arbitrary skill that is assigned to each of us by the world. Even if you don’t have the most skill, you can be on time, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Learning to Grow

Sometimes being vulnerable and taking a risk in front of our students is the best thing educators can do. I have decided to go on a writing journey with my students through the use of this blog. They each have a blog, and we will all post a weekly blog to tell stories, communicate ideas, make arguments, and expand our horizons. One of the questions I ask myself on a daily basis is, how can I make myself better today? No, I’m not upset with who I am as a husband, father, teacher, and friend, but it’s about being the best that I can be. It’s about embracing the process, working doggedly toward our goals and our passions and developing strong relationships along the way. My students and I will share our passions, goals, successes, and failures through our blogs. We will continue to work toward developing higher character, which means demonstrating more kindness, more gratitude, and more persistence. We will work toward developing these qualities while chasing our passions and develo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Finding Positivity in the World Around Us

In my quest to find positivity and kindness in the world, I have had to be more intentional about paying attention to the inspiring stories in the news. The stories are there, but you have to look carefully. In the past two weeks, I have come across two stories in the news which have helped boost my spirits about the power of positive and generous people. They were both about people that don’t have to choose the attitude that they have. Michael Phelps and Stephen Curry could just as easily escape back into their money, notoriety, and blissful life. They could pridefully view past successes and find discontent in aging. But, they don’t. Both have a different but compelling and admirable story. Michael Phelps spent the better part of two decades dominating the swimming world, winning 23 gold medals and setting countless world records. Karen Crouse of the New York Times caught up with Phelps recently to discuss the loss of a couple of world records he had lost. Instead of feeling ...
Post a Comment
Read more