Episode 336
Express Yourself
In The Last Temptation of Christ, the Great Teacher, portrayed by Willem Dafoe, is asked why he isn’t a better Jew. He says the scripture instructs us to tell the truth, and he never tells the truth – he doesn’t have the courage. Within him lies something so powerful and transformative that he doesn’t dare speak it.
In the world we commonly find introverts who might be cautious with their words, refraining from saying what they really feel. We also find extroverts, who feel free to talk about anything, except perhaps what is truly in their hearts.
Members of Rotary often ask themselves these four key questions:
Is it true?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it foster good will and build relationships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Sometimes it is necessary to use a test such as this in order to restrain our speech, to hold back from saying something that might be hurtful and unhelpful. Likewise, if you are holding your words, afraid to speak, and your words meet these tests, to open your mouth now presents a grand opportunity.
Transcript
I want to talk about this phrase known to fans of NWA and the Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band before that.
Express yourself.
Those two beautiful words.
I was thinking about this relationship, short lived relationship I had a year or so ago. It was a lovely young lady.
We were probably only seeing each other for a month, maybe less. When I was getting to know her I told her there was something I wanted to tell you, something very sweet.
When I am with you I get this feeling in my solar plexus. This warm and fuzzy feeling. I like being with you. As it turned out that relationship didn’t pan out, you know I had my problems and she had her problems.
These things are valid. It doesn’t matter too much what happens after. When we express ourselves that is a success, that is an idea that I try to live by.
If I can do something truthful and beautiful through my actions and words, that counts. Many times in my life I have gone to this standard or a couple of questions. I paused and thought “do I really want to say this thing?”
Sometimes it is very difficult to say the truth.
Just like Willem Dafoe in The Last Temptation of Christ. The Torah tells us that we should tell the truth, I never tell the truth. I don’t have the courage.
It takes courage to tell the truth so when I find myself in that position many times I ask myself: is it true, is it empowering for me and others?
As it turns out there’s a more elaborate version of this test, the four way test from Rotary.
Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build good and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
For some people it can be really important to restrain this speech but for many of us it’s also important to encourage us to speak because sometimes there are those truths so sweet and so vulnerable its difficult to bring them to the surface.
They might be so tender that we barely want to speak them. Then when we ask ourselves some of these questions it becomes obvious that yes, speaking the truth is important.
Speaking the truth will bring light to that which was previously covered. Speaking the truth will allow us to forge new relationships, deepen existing relationships and bring life to something cherished, something perhaps yet unknown.
I do like to say that Truth is not a state, not a fact, its a skill. The more we practice truth the more truth we are capable of handling or capable of accepting.
When we are honest with ourselves and when we are honest with others greater truth is revealed to us, so yes, express yourself. You’re not being cocky, not pretending but showing that sweet vulnerable, tender, beautiful, true part of yourself.
Express yourself.
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