"one great use of words is to hide our thoughts." - voltaire

it seems that over the course of the past two weeks (since julie's messages about the power of words), i have been abnormally subjected to some really bad ones!  while trying in earnest to watch my own tongue, and often doing a pretty lousy job of it, i have, at the same time, become increasingly aware of the truth behind the following:

"great talker, great liar."  ~ french proverb

i was told once that liars never stop talking.  a gentleman i know who used to work in law enforcement stated that the "guilty ones" always refused to shut up.  perhaps while trying to convince the authorities of their innocence they were trying to convince themselves as well.  i've seen this alot lately.  my students are bad about it, of course, and so are my own kids.  yes, i do it too.  we all lie.  but i've experienced this recently with someone who's a real pro. and he/she (i won't say which) scares the bejeebers out of me! 

"flattery is all right so long as you don't inhale.” ~ adlai stevenson

my mother told me once when i was in college to "beware the flatterer".  well, amen, mother.  i get it.  i totally get it.  words definitely have the power to inspire confidence and esteem; i love to compliment others (perhaps because i like to be complimented myself), but there is certainly a fine line between building someone up and being a complete phony.  honestly, don't we all realize when someone is insincere?  sometimes, don't we just want to say..."thanks, but i'm not inhaling this time". 

"it's not what you say.  it's how you say it."

ouch.  this one hurts me the most.  hey, i'm not innocent of committing this crime.  i'm probably at my worst with my own kids.  but man.  i don't take a disrespectful tone with my peers because they are...well...my peers.

so perhaps the childhood adage of:

if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all, is still the best way to go.

 i'm still working on that one, too.