Simplicity in Speech

My grandmother never yells.
Oh, there were very rare occasions when she raised her voice or got upset, but I don't recall ever hearing her yell.
She has a quietude about her, yet she speaks clearly and people listen.

I am the queen of the kingdoms of mumbling and yelling.
I will avoid eye-contact and a concise, committed answer.
Or I will bellow my demands like a drill sergeant.

I'll stress out and become moody when I really want to say no, but don't.
My grandmother knows her limits.
She says no.
And if she says yes, she doesn't act put-upon.
She accepts her yes.

Yelling, mumbling, and uncommitted answers are stress-inducing, not simple.

There was a time conversation was taught.  Speech was emphasized.  And clarity of thought was treasured.
As the Bible says, Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Other simplicity of speech rules could include:

1. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.
2. Keep your opinions to yourself (you don't need to challenge everyone to see it your way).
3. Choose your words wisely rather than emotionally.
4. LISTEN
5.  Be confident in what you say.
6. Talk to a child face to face.  Get up and approach that child. (I am so bad about yelling across the house).
7.  Learn the art of small talk. (Try Emily Post Etiquette)

We live in a world where people demand to be heard and that their opinions, their cussing, their right or wrongness be heard loudly and frequently.  We have lost the art of conversation.  We have lost the art of public speaking, debate, small talk, and polite society etiquette.  We have lost the art of training up our children in the way that they should go, which includes speaking to them in a way that conveys love and authority, direction and clarity.

While that may sound complicated, it is actually a practice in simplicity.  Clarity is simplicity.  All else is confusion.