Guth & Tuairim, Nollaig 1983

'~Closed Mouth 10 Catches No Flies'' T alk is cheap, or so the saying goes. But the words we speak could cost us a bundle - in friend– ships, trust and respect. Everybody likes to talk. It's one of the most important ways we have of communicating wtth our friends. Our vocal chords arc fine tuned like musical instruments. But some misuse their mouths. They don't seem to know when to put on the brakes, and their mouths run on and on like a scratched record or a dripping faucet. At times they even use words as weapons to hurt people. Nobody likes to be in the company of a know-it-all, a swivel lips, a tattletale, a gossip, a smart mouth or a garbage mouth. If at times you are having trouble keeping or mak– ing new friends, maybe it's time to have an ''open-mouth" c heckup. Sec if you fit into any of these six categories. The big know-it-all Know-it-ails want us to think they know everything. They seldom. if ever, admit they' are wrong. They compete with everybody to be No. I. They do this because they want people to notice them and to like them. But they d o n't give other people a chance to tell what they know. This kind of person loves to listen to your story and then quickly say: "Hey, that's nothing. Let me tell you what happened to me last week'" Have you been a know-it-all lately'> If you find yourself dominating the conversation, next time stop and think before you speak. Ask yourself, is my comment going to help or hinder this conversation? If in doubt, don't say it - just go ahead and listen to the other person. Being a good listener goes a long way to enhance friendships. Remember, you can know a lot and not be a know-it-all. Solomon put it this way: "The tongue of the wise uses knowl– edge rightly. but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness" (Proverbs 15:2). Swivel lips Nobody likes a "swivel lips." A swivel lips is the kind of person who doesn't seem to know when to stop talking. If you take a swivel lips to the beach, his or her tongue will even get a sunburn. This kind of person hasn' t learned to listen to anything except the sound of his or her own voice. Arc you anything like this? When you ta lk, do your listeners yawn, tap their fingers or glance at their watches? If so. try not saying anything for lin: minutes several times a day and give somebody else a c·hancc to talk . Tattletale, tattletale The tattletale likes to talk about people. The trouble is, he or she doesn't tell the good things, only the bad. Tattletales try to get attention for them– selves by getting other people into trouble. This makes them feel important and needed, because tattletales don't have many friends. There are many varieties of tattletales. Some are like spies - always watching for oppor– tunities to tell on someone. Other tattletales are finger pointers. But all tattletales have one thing in common. Nobody wants to be their friend because nobody likes to get int~ trouble. Whenever you feel the urge coming on, you need to ask yourself this question: "Is this going to seem as important to me a week from now as it does today?" If the answer is no, then close your mouth tight - - zip it up – and mmd your own business. As my mother used to say to me, "If you can't say something nice about somebody, don't say any– thmg at all." The gossip The gossip loves to tell stories about other. people. Sometimes the stories are not completely true.. Often they grow and get bigger until they become outright lies. Gossips don't have friends because they can't be trusted. They can't keep a secret more than three seconds, and they think that the way to tell a good story is to spice it up a little. After telling the story several times, they have all spice and n.o real story. Do you find it fun to talk about other people? It's so easy to become a gossip. You can slide into the habit without any effort at all. Be extra careful about what you say about others. Telling good news is not gossiping. Spreading misfortune is. One of the· best ways to deal with a gossip is avoidance. Simply refuse to participate in rumor and gossip spreading. If you're the victim, let me suggest this: Go right to the source, whether friends, acquaintances or others. Confront them and try to work it out. The smart mouth This kind of person is either cutting people up or putting them down. He or she uses words to embarrass people and make them feel little. These people probably thmk they will look bigger if everyone else looks small. Have you ever sounded like a smart mouth ? We all have, because everybody says smart– aleck, mean things occasionally. If we are tired, confused, angry or afraid, we often tend to say something mean or smart. But if we say smart or mean things regularly, then it's time to button our lips and think twice before we speak. Hurting other people's feelings is not the way to make friends. The garbage mouth You wouldn't do it in front of your grandmother, but chances are no matter who you are, a few stinging swear words have passed your lips at one time or another. Garbage mouths curse in an attempt to impress others. They beheve foul words will somehow make them appear macho or cool or tough. Others swear in order to shock those around them: Some people use raunchy lan– guage because it seems like the accepted thing to do. Probably the most common environment for cursing is caused by simple anger. When our emotions turn red, we tend to unleash language we'd usually not use. :~t}j!® We've s hown some reasons people swear. But are the reasons justification for being a garbage mouth ? Since most of profanity is taking God's name in vain, how do you think God views it? Take a good look at your conversations. Are they laced ·with garbage talk? If so, now is the time to clean up your act. And what can you do if you're on the li s tening end of a string of expletives? Tell the person who's spewing verbal pollution where you stand - preferably out of his or her line of fire. Your mouth can do a lot of good in encouraging and helping. Remember, the ability to speak is not a weapon or garbage can. It is a gift from God. o BUNBEG TOOL HIRE ( L . GILLESPIE ) SAVE TIME AND MONEY- HIRE FROM US Large Concrete Breaker- Mixers - Demolition Hammers Concrete Saws-Generators -Large and Small Hammer Drills Transformers-Water Pumps- Skill and Jig Saws- Belt Sanders Angle Grinders- Vibrating Plate and Welders. Give us a call - Tel Bunbeg 216 Pictured at the Presentation DancQ for Jack Ferry who retired re~ently. Bhf scaifte m6r i lathair ag an 6caid ann Ostan Radharc an Eargail. DOHERTY'S CAFE DUNGLOE LUNCHES DAILY 12 . 00 - 2 . 00 FISH and CHIPS, etc. TAKEAWAY ~-------------- GILLESPIE READY- MIXED CONCRETE :SAOt000~1R Annagry 153 Bunbeg 277 ( Home)