Dear God,
I am grateful for this month of reflecting on my own worth. In doing so, I have been reminded of how important it is to me to speak with integrity. It reminds me of a conversation I had with a colleague recently about knowing when to allow myself to speak and when I need to breathe love into my being and remember the Sufi teaching about the questions I must answer before speaking. Is what I want to say truthful? Is it necessary? Is it kind? It parallels the teachings of Toltec Wisdom and don Miguel Ruiz about being impeccable with my word. When I speak with integrity, I am only saying what I mean and when I combine it with the Sufi teaching; I know that how I say what I mean also comes from an intent of love.
This lesson reminds me of the power of language and a commercial about how words can hit harder than a fist. I am intentional about avoiding my words to speak against others or myself. It is also why I work at avoiding gossip or interacting with those who choose to gossip about others. Gossiping reminds me of a saying someone I once knew would say. She would always say, “Those that will bring you a bone, will carry a bone.” It is a daily reminder to me that those who will come to me with gossip about others are also seeking some juicy tidbit to carry to the next person. When I am impeccable with my word, I do not engage in or support gossiping in any direction.
Every day I am provided choices about how I can use the power of my word. I can choose to use it in the direction of truth and love, or I can choose to use it otherwise. Throughout my life, you have given me subtle lessons about not just what to speak, but when to speak and when not to speak and for those I am grateful. I am grateful for the acronym PS HALT. It reminds me that I must be especially mindful when I am in pain, sick, hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. The presence of these factors in my life can have an effect on the choices I make about how I use the power of my word. I have learned to be especially mindful of what I am saying and why when I am any one or combination of the above.
When I speak with integrity, regardless of how I am feeling, I want to be able to stand behind my choice to speak and the words that I spoke. Perhaps that is why I had to wait until I was feeling a little more rested today to write this letter of thanks to you. Thank you for the rest and the healing you are bringing about in my life, that I can speak words of love to all who find their way to my journal and my letters to you.
Namaste,
Sharon