Talk Less

Last updated on: July 13, 2015 at 7:22 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

Talk Less 2015-07-12T17:26:55-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What am I renouncing?

On the way to the airport, I realized that driving with Lewis and Hope made me the loud kid. They like to think, reflect, and use their inside the head voice. Like some Tour Guide Ken, I feel compelled to keep talking, because that is what I do.

Until I realize how very, very annoying this is.

A good thing about being married is that you learn that many skills can turn into vices if overused. The reasonable man can rationalize his errors. The spirited man can become so boisterous that he is obnoxious. Hope has a helpful trait of telling me, like Jesus facing a stormy sea: “Peace. Be still.”

This did not always help to calm the waters. “Why can’t I just be myself,” selfish me cried. “Because you are sometimes annoying,” my better self-retorted. Talking isn’t the only good thing that can go bad for me.

I want to understand and get to the bottom of everything. This trait has a good side: the unexamined life is not worth living, but it has a bad side: the overly examined life is neurotic. Sometimes Hope reminds me, I should live and not talk about living. I should enjoy the moment and not think about the moment.

This is annoying until it is not.

The good thing about enduring in a relationship, marriage, friendship, work, is that you must moderate your skills and turn them into virtues. Plato did this with Homer’s word for “excellence.” In Homer, it was not much more than “skills.” (“That kid Achilles has wild skills . . . sword skills, running skills, verbal skills.) Plato saw that being good at something, even being good at things that are normally good for humanity (such as thinking), is not enough. We need morality to go with our skills. Plato changed the word for “excellence” to make it mean what we would call “virtue.”

Being good “at” is not enough if I am not doing good in the right place, in the right way, at the right time. Hospitality is good, but we have all met the hostess with the mostess . . . who can drive us all mad with her perfection. The party stops being fun it is so fun.

“How funny your husband is,” someone will say to Hope and she will agree. But I know that living with a jester is a mixed bag. There is a time for madcap and a time for quiet time. This is another way of saying that most actions (even ones normally good like love) require the guiding light of moderation. Too much or too little is not good . . . we need to be just right.

And that includes blogging: enough for today.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

July 12, 2015

A Comedy Tonight

Next Post

July 14, 2015 Bernie Sanders on Education: Give the Grifters More

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Messiah" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Anointed One Son of God Savior Chosen One

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »