My Everyday Mystic by Jan Puta: blog for the soul

I’ve always been told that if it’s the truth, it’s not bragging to talk about yourself and your accomplishments.

The point here is, don’t embellish it with arrogance.

Whether it’s holiday parties or family reunions, corporate outings or networking events, there are always clues that someone is not speaking with love.

For example, have you ever heard someone speak as if:

• their opinion is the only right one?
• they have a copyright on brilliance?
• they’ve been genetically altered to show up at the head of the line?

Or have you noticed someone act as if:

• they are the only one in the room worth listening to?
• no one else in their department or on their shift is as important as they are?
• everyone else is around just to make them look good?

And then there are those who are downright rude, obnoxious, intolerant and let you know it:

• they may show up late or unprepared and expect everyone to wait for them,
• they are loud and overbearing as if they were meant to be the center of attention,
• they indulge in too much food or beverages and assume that being intoxicated is a necessary element to having fun or throwing a good party.

Does any of this look familiar? Do you ever find yourself doing some of these things now and then?

If not, are you critical and judgmental about those who talk and act like this? Do you gossip about these folks and their unbecoming behavior?

It all comes down to understanding what love is really about and what it means to speak and act with love.

Here’s the best guideline I know: “Love does not brag and is not arrogant. Love does not act unbecomingly.” (1 Corinthians 13)

To be people of love, we don’t get to pick and choose just the ingredients we’re comfortable with. Thoughts, words, actions about ourselves and others – we’ve got to bite into the whole enchilada!

Did you find this information useful, inspiring, challenging? Drop a line in the response box below (or click on the comment link in Facebook) and share your thoughts about what speaking with love means to you, or what you think about this article.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Janice M. Puta
Author of Pathways: Tales for the Spiritual Seeker
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