The Split Second-In Consideration of Others and What Comes Out of the Mouth

I hope I am able to have my book, The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others, published sometime this year and in the near future.  I have already had one cousin now living in Florida comment that I cannot change the world.  That is not what I want to do by having many read my book.  I want people to think about their actions and in this blog, I describe thinking about what comes out of the mouth. 

I have known too many people who would like to say to anyone they meet exactly what is on their mind at the time. Such people would rather not employ a sort of filter in their minds that would have them think about what they are saying before those words escape their mouths.  The filter is one of the key elements in my own concept of  “The Split Second.”  It was the wonderful Dear Abby, Abigail van Buren who wrote in her column repeatedly advising people to think before they spoke with words such as “Is it true and is it kind.” Ms. van Buren was quite wise. By the way,  I am not advocating for one minute that people lie rather than blurting out their thoughts.

Those who want to “speak their minds” or “shoot from the hip” might take that “split second” to think about what their words could do to others.  I have known three people in particular in my life who have said to me, “I have to think about what I say when I speak with you,” to which my response would always be, “I think about what I say to everyone always.”  At least I try to do that.  Am I going to blurt out something that might regret later or as early as two seconds later?  Yes, I have, will probably do so in the future, and I have certainly done so many more times than I would like to recount.  However, I would like to think that I would apologize anytime for any words that have escaped my mouth, that have been hurtful, provoked anger, or are downright rude and inappropriate. 

And about those who have told me they have to think of their words with me.  I can guarantee that all three of those people would never let me say something to them that was hurtful or inappropriate.  Again, the same concept of “it’s all right when I do it but not all right when you do it to me” was present there.  I find that hateful.  I believe truly if we think about our words for just that split second, we just may have a bit more of a harmonious society.

By the way:  Rest in Peace Kirk Douglas: A True American Icon