Tuesday February 7 2017  DO I TRY TO CHANGE OR STAY THE SAME?

Friends and Family:

Another safe day of driving.  We arrived at our Airbnb BEFORE DARK!  We are staying in Urbandale Iowa for the night at the same Airbnb where we stayed two weeks ago.  I have met my kindred soul.  Birdie is the hostess at the Airbnb and lo and behold, she loves detail.  Detail in talking that is.  I love telling stories of bygone years.  I love telling the details.  And I enjoy hearing the details of other’s stories.  So much is lost without a bit of history before the punchline.  And Birdie enjoys the same.

So, I have new things to think about and according to my cousin, less words I should be speaking about.  I have been informed that I go into too many details and it becomes laborious for the listener.  She is not the only one who has informed me of this information.  I sit here thinking about it and realize perhaps I should have heeded my cousins gentle advice long ago.  However, I just have too many words in me. 

Even my children have a times become perturbed with me because of all the detail I describe and all the facts on which I choose to elaborate.  As I listen to others I sometimes walk away and wonder what the point of their story was.  Later as they again discuss the subject they say things they think I should know and understand due to the previous conversation.  However, at the original telling they left out most of the details which left me more baffled than enlightened.  After I find out some of the additional details the story begins to make sense.  So, do I do the short version, which actually has no meaning, or tell the long version which explains all the whys and wherefores?

Even my wonderful husband sometimes becomes exasperated when I go into great detail.  However, he gives me his encouragement by saying, “this is the way God made you and He gave you the gift of “gab” for a reason”.

So now I question myself.  Do I try to change or do I stay the same?

 

THE GIFT OF GAB

Kathleen Martens

February 7, 2017

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Do I try to change or stay the same?

A question the plagues my soul.

I only desire to encourage others,

Their wellbeing my only goal.

 

I always have a story to tell,

Perhaps my audience is not quite in sync.

So I must learn to audit my tongue

And speak more often in ink.

 

Then he who wants to read

And all the details find,

Can do at their own leisure

To enlighten their searching mind.

 

But there are times to be quiet

And to keep my tongue still

So that I only speak

The words God has willed.

 

So to my friends I will say

If I’ve ever bored you to death

Please know that henceforth

I will limit the words of my breath.

 

It may cause me to explode

For I’ve so many words inside

And Dave has allotted me His words

And I don’t think I can keep them inside.

 

Perhaps I should try with all my might

To change how God made me,

And live constrained like so many others

And no longer allow my spirit free.

 

Thank You Father for the gift of gab that you have given me.

Thank You Lord for the open heart of my cousin’s desire to help me.

Thank You for a safe day of traveling.

Thank You for people you bring into my life.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS EACH ONE!