As much as I write ‘here’ I am not often writing about ‘me’ or anything specific I am going through. Sometimes whatever is going on around me may influence me, or it may be something I jotted in my notebook last week or last year. This one is kind of personal but not because anything is going on or has prompted it. I know I’ve written about it before, about I do not like to be yelled at. If anyone is yelling at me I am not hearing their message. Not one single word of it. Speak softly, however, and I am all ears. I’m sure it goes back to my dad. I never remember him yelling. I’m not saying he didn’t. But I don’t remember it. I do remember him speaking very softly, the angrier he may have been, the softer he spoke. Maybe that’s where it comes from. I don’t think it has anything to do with the ‘speak softly and carry a big stick’ quote from Teddy Roosevelt. I think it has more to do with sensory (who enjoys being yelled at?) and perception. Yelling is anger and disrespect and elicits a physical response, and an emotional response. Both negative. Speaking softly has the appearance of more thought, and consideration for who may be listening and the message being shared. If I have a reaction, physical or emotional, it comes from hearing the actual message.
Ironically, I have a VERY loud voice that is often interpreted as ‘yelling’. So, there’s that.
(c)
The Chatter Blog 