Resisting the Urge

Image courtesy of Mel B via Creative Commons.

I was in a tiny, cramped thrift shop in New York City last weekend, and a woman in the shop was talking loudly on her cell phone with a thick New York accent. She was sharing the kind of personal information one doesn’t usually broadcast, probably not realizing that she was indeed broadcasting it because her voice was so loud. I found myself amused enough to think, “That would be a good addition to share in my 1-woman show” (the U.S. debut of which is Thursday, May 10).

Later, I found myself starting to write a wall post on Facebook about what I’d heard her say, because it was funny. Right before I posted it, however, I thought better of it. What value will this have in the world?, I thought to myself. None, really. And so I resisted the urge to post it.

Then today I read this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt:

“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

May each of us spend more time striving to share important ideas and less time sharing gossip. May each of us resist the urge to write and speak those things that really aren’t of value and commit to writing and speaking those things that will contribute in a positive way. And may I heed my own suggestion.

For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach"

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