I wasn’t sure what today’s blog would be about…with the inauguration of a new US President happening on the same day. And though I don’t fancy myself a terribly proper person, I thought I would ride the coattails of last week’s post about manners with this little snippet.
It has been a challenging couple of weeks for our nation. My aim is not to be political but to assist us all – remind us all – how to be more civilized and polite with one another going forward.
I had this conversation with my mother several months ago as she bemoaned how difficult it was to sort out fact from fiction, reality from alt-reality. Today, a reminder came up in a friend’s social media feed which was condensed down concisely by my sister.
If that’s not the universe saying it’s worth sharing…
It started with a story about Socrates who proposed there were three sieves to filter information through.
- Is it true?
- It is kind?
- It is useful?
If we collectively pass all information through these filters, I believe that life becomes collectively better for us all.
Is It True?
Do you know something to be true – or have you only heard that it is true? In today’s day and age, this is probably the trickiest of them all but, at the same time, the best starting point. With as many versions of “truth” out there, it takes some doing to figure out what is fact and what is fiction; what is opinion and what is true.
I find myself looking for source material (also very challenging) and corroborating information from sources – hopefully with differing opinions and agendas.
Is It Kind?
There is enough ugliness in this world that I think it’s worth asking – is the information I’m going to impart – kind? If not, why would I want to share it? What am I hoping to accomplish or achieve by being unkind or spreading this into someone else’s world?
Is It Useful?
What is the purpose of the information? Taking a moment to reflect on the reason why a piece of information is about to be shared ensures that we don’t blindly stumble about with no thought of the consequences of what we do.
I’ve found that silence, listening, and observation serve me well during times of conflict. It does not mean I don’t have an opinion of my own. It does not mean I don’t feel strongly about something. It means I value and respect the person opposite me and hold myself accountable, in part, for their well-being. And often, this means simply staying quiet.
And…to draw it full circle to the true purpose of my blog…this all brings with it a peace and serenity that avoids scowling, frowning, wrinkles and rapid aging.
I’ll be back next week with things focused on anti-aging our outsides. But for this week, let’s work on anti-aging our minds first!
