Think Before You Speak-Reflections From The Kitchen Sink

Think before you speak

I’m going to say it: I am over the COVID mess. I’m over the tension. I’m over the arrogance. I’m over the shaming. I’m just over it. 

There is a not-so-pleasant comparison of opinions to buttholes. I know, it’s a bit tacky, but sadly it is pretty accurate. With all the knowledge the World Wide Web can provide, I think we have dumbed down a lot as a society. We seem more drawn to the gossipy “facts” than to digging in and objectively researching situations and topics. It reminds me of those operators of the old-timey switchboards who would listen into conversations then share the dirt of the day. 

I’m not saying opinions are bad; I am saying how we form those opinions can be questionable, and the way we share the opinions can be overly assertive. 

Within all reasonable measures, my boys and I have held tightly to the rule of caution and mandate with COVID measures. We’ve done those things based on social responsibility and with some well thought out scientific reasoning. Some say I’ve been too rigid. Some say I’ve been to lax. Which one is it? 

COVID restrictions haven’t gone well in our house due to some extra health issues which prior to the shutdowns were treated with face-to-face therapies and such. Not having those services really put the squeeze on us. No one would understand the impact in our home but the three people who live here. That’s the same in every home. Why is it people feel the liberty to be so critical? 

The supposed freedom to criticize has created a tangible tension. As if some creepy virus isn’t enough, we have partnered with it the know-it-all society of judgmental Jessies. (No offense if your name is Jessie.) Sure, it’s human nature sometimes to judge a situation at face value, but aggressively voicing those thoughts are not what freedom of speech is all about. There is some tact and basic social decorum that should be implemented. 

The uncertainty in our daily lives before all this COVID craziness was a lot…sometimes more than folks could handle. The additional stressors created since the virus invasion have made the weight even greater. Shouldn’t we be more focused on helping each other than creating even more of a burden? One day, things will get somewhat back to normal, and we will have eye-to-eye contact with these people we felt so free to criticize again. In-person accountability certainly weighs more than that of distance and hiding behind a keyboard, so we might want to rethink some things before we let our fingers to the talking or our words do some walking. 

This reminds me of a poster that hung in my classroom that said our words need to be send through a filter before they are shared. “Truth” is often a matter of perspective (which can bite us in the ends when the real truth comes out), but being helpful, inspiring, and kind shouldn’t be hard and is all very necessary! People encouraging each other during dire times. It’s time to step up and respect one another and not fall victim to the media’s contradictions and negativity again. It matters. Really. 

Think Before You Speak

I think it is some time for some deep breathing exercises here at the sink. Shew! And, of course, a cup of coffee… 

All Reflections from the Kitchen Sink posts are written by Melinda Campbell. Melinda is a retired educator who currently focuses her efforts on raising her two teenaged boys, advocating for individuals with special needs and against drunk driving, and serving in her local community. New Kitchen Sink Merchandise-Click Here?