What we say matters. Our words are important and when well-intended, they can make a tremendous difference to those who will listen. But timing is also crucial. There is a time to provide an opinion, and a time to let it go. Difficult moments, emotional days, and stressful situations may not be the best time to share our words of wisdom. Weddings are one example. School days are sometimes those things every day, and so we need to be very careful to protect the trust that we have developed.
No one can persuade another to change.
Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside.
We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or emotional appeal.
— Marilyn Ferguson
Memories of wedding days evoked mixed emotions during a recent family gathering.
For some it was the ideal day of celebration, and for others it was hard and stressful.
One bit of advice that was shared: Be extra careful with words during a wedding
because the emotions of such events cause some people to be extra fragile and sensitive, leading to repercussions that can permanently damage relationships.
This caution about hasty words also applies at funerals, graduations, and reunions.
Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things
the most important factor. — Hesiod
The delicate fuel that makes these life events so flammable often stems from the vulnerability felt in personal identity, psychological needs, and the social dynamics.
That could be why every day at a school can feel like a wedding day—our words and decisions affect their core being and beliefs. It doesn't get more emotional than that!
Few experience the daily challenges of navigating the complex emotional nature within a school, so we stay keenly aware to protect the trust that's crucial to culture.
We set the pace, rhythm, and timing to foster beautiful harmony together, which requires paying attention to ever-changing people, place, purpose, and perspective.
There is a time to provide opinion, and a time to be quiet to humbly listen and learn.
There is a time to give feedback, and a time to let it go in deference to current events.
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time to make a deliberate stand, and a time to yield for the greater good.
Wisdom in healthy relationships requires considering the timing of the moment.
Words matter. When we use them matters. When we stay “emotionally smart”, we’ll have a better understanding to effectively use our words wisely in those meaningful moments.
