I wish I could...

I have some new favorite blogs. In particular, I heart Live It, Love it at this moment. She is my age with the same educational level, but very opposite in the way her live has unfolded. Yet, some way, her honesty reminds me of my self.  Honesty with humor and curse words and upfrontness that just can't be avoided no matter how hard you try. I am drawn to her writing/blogging style. Her "TMI Thursday" section will leave you laughing for hours...maybe even days. 

She responded to the following writing prompt (from Twenty Something Writers):

We all have something we want to say to someone. Maybe it’s someone in your life now. Or, maybe it is something you wish you said to someone who is no longer in your life. It could even be Mr./Ms. Random Person that you saw in the local coffee shop today. What do you want to say that you were never able to? You can leave the person(s) identity anonymous, if you’d like. Feel free to feature more than one person. Do it in letter form or any form you prefer. Show us that creativity!

I wish I had the gumption to do this. Since all my closest friends and family read this, even anonymous is hard. Really hard. This could easily lead to hurt feelings. I wonder if these few lines of ranting could lead to permanent damage. How would it end? Weighing that option causes me to not respond to the above prompt. 

We all have things we want to say to someone. Many someones. Many, many, many someones. 

But what is the goal? Transparent relationships? Openness? Loving truth?

Or does it result in me seeming better than you? Brutal honesty? Brutality? 

My words get me into trouble often. Often. My friends, yes they are still my friends, can tell you stories. Many accounts of how BEAT can't keep her trap shut. I've learned from many of these encounters. 

There are moments when truth telling must happen. When justice is being undermined. When compassion seems unimportant. When steam is coming out of your ears. Words must be used in these moments.  These words must be spoken to create reality. These words must come through the fog of the perceived to allow love to be known. 

That means that such words are not ranting.  They are for the common good of relationships, community, and the church. 

So, I have some things I've never said before. I want to write them here. But I'm not going to share them. They may be for the common good. Most likely, they are not. 

Keeping my trap shut...for once,

BEAT

Ps: Unless you are a person who uses the left lane on the interstate not for passing. It is the passing lane. Everyone say it with me, "The left lane is the passing lane."  Which means you most likely need to go above the speed limit. Above, not below. The goal is passing. People following this one rule of the road would cut down on my daily stress for sure.