Wednesday, March 12, 2014

134) Learn Lessons - Hold your tongue and you will hold on to friends

"Govern your passions or they will govern you." Latin Proverb

A woman who gossiped continually, met a saint and begged his blessings. He agreed to bless her if she did him two favors. She agreed.  Giving her a bag of cotton, he asked her to leave a small lump of cotton at each door in her neighborhood. She carried out the task and reported to the saint. The second favor was go back to each door and collect the lump of cotton she had left there. Infuriated, she refused to carry out his request - she said that in the breeze the cotton lump would have been blown away. The saint reminded her that was how her gossip works - in the breeze it flies from door to door. Chastened, she promised to correct her ways; then the saint blessed her.

Does the story ring a bell? Are we guilty of the same fault? Without a thought for the reputation of others we bad mouth neighbors, relations, colleagues and even spouses. Our children watch it happen and they conclude that it is perfectly okay to speak ill of class mates, teachers, siblings, and in time parents. When we do not check our passions, how can we expect out children to check theirs?

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