So, I can’t remember exactly which colleague at which office recommended this to my husband, but I do remember which husband it was. It was you HF, don’t worry. (lol)
Whether you’re in a meeting, or meeting other Muslims, or debating whether to say salaam to a person of the opposite gender, or struggling with your intention in general, then W.A.I.T. Before you speak, ask yourself the following:
Why
Am
I
Talking?
What this does is allow you a quick audit of your intentions and thoughts, something that every adult knows that someone else in their life desperately needs. 😀
(It’s me. The person who needs this is me.)
As someone who has been somewhat public in my life for a long ole time (my blog is older than my marriage and I’ve been married for over 17 years), I find that I can overshare as well as overthink, and sometimes, both at the same time. Two for one, BOGO! Whether I’m about to overshare at another person’s speech, or talk about my experiences when coming to learn about someone else’s, WAIT has saved me from making a horse’s hind end out of myself on multiple occasions. Not because I’m a narcissist, but because I suffer from chronic verbal dysentery.
WAIT is a useful supplement to the three gates of speech: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? The gates of speech have been attributed to Rumi, Buddha, and even Socrates, and I’m not paid enough to dig into who actually said it. Regardless of the source, the three gates are a great way to be a better person. I’ve tried teaching them to my kids, and I hope they stick.
For both of us, InshaAllah. Over & out.
