The music pumping through my speakers
I love music and I love listening to it in the details of its recording. But what lets me hear every tiny detail? Surely the volume turned all the way up. No, I don't mean in my ears with a top-quality pair of headphones, but through the powerful speakers of my car.
I'm a show-off, I know, but I can't help it. Sometimes, not often, I like driving around with the volume at maximum. Let me say up front: when I'm alone in the car, so I don't get beaten up for the loud sound.
The problem at the end of my drive is usually like the end of a night at the club dancing in front of deafening speakers. A considerable ringing in the ears and a confusion that is sometimes worse than a headache.
A horrible ending, but it's what came to mind today, the very day I'm writing this article, because I was doing what I've just described. I was going to work and needed a boost, I wanted something to give me "energy". In reality I just got dazed, but I can't help it, sometimes it's fine, I like it, it's fun, but I remain a show-off.
It's stronger than me, and unfortunately this was yet another thing that inspired what I'm writing.
Ears and mouth, two connected organs
The things that go into our ears are surely the ones that come out of our mouth just as easily.
Listening is a great thing, knowing how to grind up in our thoughts the things that aren't right is just as good, but much harder is keeping our tongue in check.
Can growing up in a ghetto give you class? Sure, but the struggle is great. Can growing up in a cushioned environment make you wild? Sure, and no struggle can stop it.
As you can see, sinking low is easy and fast. Pushing yourself higher is difficult and takes a lot of work.
I can imagine you telling me that, with all this, I shouldn't listen to deafening music anymore? I'll tell you I'll keep doing it, but I'll certainly have my moderation.
How to grow and rise
What's really needed is to grow exponentially upwards, not downwards. Do you think it's easy? Of course not. It's easier to let your tongue run loose than to keep it reined in. Besides, not everyone wants to "let others walk all over them". But many times that tied tongue gave you the chance to come out victorious, didn't it?
The tongue is a rudder
Imagine the tongue as the small rudder of a big cruise ship. So small, and able to steer your joy. Unfortunately, if used badly, the direction can very often be a shipwreck like the Costa Concordia (I don't know if you remember). It took little to sink it, and a lot to raise it again and bring it back to a safe harbour.
After all, the tongue is surely the most trained organ in our body, unless, of course, you keep it still for a moment. The blame surely lies with our choice of life. What we want to hear and say. If we insist on living in an environment of nothing but swear words, I can say with certainty that swear words will come out of our mouth. Rare cases excepted.
Build up your ears
Push yourself further, start listening to good music with lyrics full of motivating, regenerating words, spend time in places that can build you up and push you towards the One on High.
Perfection isn't human, but the attempt is appreciated and the victory certain.
I like to think that we can change, rather than justify ourselves with the sentence: that's just how I am.
Start today, start with the tongue, start with your ears and what you put into them.
Have fun, and let me know how much you don't enjoy all this.
Inspired by the verses:
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My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry;
Letter of James 1:19
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Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
Letter of James 3:4
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