I recently had someone offer the analysis that perhaps my being an opinionated person was a manifestation of covering up the fact that I'm truly lacking self-esteem and don't have much confidence in myself.........................................................................................................................oh, sorry, I was just waiting for the laughter to clear the room. Obviously, this person does not know me very well at all.
You see, my problem is the complete opposite: I have complete confidence in myself in most every way. Yes, we all have something that we're not completely confident about and I'm no different than anyone else. Overall, however, I've always had confidence to spare and have rarely backed away from offering an opinion on something. Some of that comes from growing up in a reading family and having a surface knowledge of many things. Some of it is due to my mother's love of talk radio, which was passed on to me. Add in a general love for learning and a background in Toastmaster's public speaking and, voila!! An opinionated person not afraid to speak up is born.
There are two types of opinionated people, of which both can be quite obnoxious:
*the ignorant opinionated person
*the well-informed opinionated person
I, being the well-informed opinionated person(of course) really struggle being around the ignorant opinionated person. In the past, I have thought it my duty to correct him/her of his ignorant ways and help him see the light. I have been quite helpful in citing references from which I received my information, in the hopes that he too would have the desire to join the ranks of the well-informed opinionated people. But, alas, it appears that the ignorant opinionated person prefers to continue to argue from ignorance.
But then the day came when it dawned on me that though there's nothing wrong with being a well-informed opinionated person, there is something wrong with being so willing to debate the poor ignorant opinionated person. First of all, it's not a fair debate: he doesn't know that he's ignorant and I do. I have the advantage from the beginning. Second, what in the world is the point of this debate? AH! The lightbulb went off: to prove that I'm right, of course. And why is this necessary?? Welllll, it's not. If I'm right, I'm right. The truth doesn't change, regardless if I can prove it to the other person, or not. The truth remains the same. And so, another layer is removed in this ongoing purification process as I seek to speak words of truth in love.
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise." Proverbs 10:19
4 comments:
"And so, another layer is removed in this ongoing purification process as I seek to speak words of truth in love."
Thank you for this transparency, Anna. =) We thought 'some folks might think Anna was trying to be funny and stretching the point... but we know it's Anna to a T!" =)
Made me think of Eustace and Aslan's encounter in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and in the end, Eustace says, "...it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know- if you've ever picked the scab of sore place...it hurts like billy-oh, but it IS such fun to see it coming away." =o) Love You! Will
Will- I was thinking of the exact same quote. That is probably my favorite scene from any of the Chronicles. Anyway....
I have a confession to make. When first reading this, I read "Viola" instead of "Voila". In context this sort of made sense as Anna was listing things that she grew up with. However, it made the sentence structure awkward at best. I was so ready to criticize Anna for this, but then realize it was simply my misreading.
Thus ends my confession.
LOVE these quotes! I am not cerebral enough to remember this, much less be able to quote it!! Bravo, guys! Much truth there! Love you, Will! And, like you a lot, too, Danny! (: Mom/Julie
I like how mom doesn't comment on what I wrote, but on what Will & Danny wrote in response to me.
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