When you say nothing at all!

I met my doctor one afternoon at a restaurant.  In the midst of the customary good afternoon, and without much thought into it, I asked the doc if he was feeling alright. 

Serenity

It wasn't until I was in the car that I realized how odd it was for me, the patient, to be asking him, the doctor if he was feeling alright.

Somehow I thought the question was out of place; but at the time it was asked, we both laughed it off and he said he was okay, and I replied, ‘that is good to hear.’ 

There are times in life, I guess, when we, on the spur of the moment say things that, had we give it some thought, we would rather bite our tongue. 

On the other hand however, I believe that it is in these spur of the moment thoughts, that sometimes the honest truth gets mentioned. 

Subconsciously we may be thinking something; but because of fear we consciously suppress the urge to speak them. Many times we keep things bottled up inside, to our own detriment. 

Sometimes we are forced to keep things inside, whether it is to maintain a friendship, a marriage, a relationship; but don't realize that the greatest harm is being done to ourselves. 

Keeping things bottled up is what leads to outbursts, sometimes which are completely contrary to who we are.  Harsh words, a violent outburst, sometimes have their origins deep within the bottled up hurts and emotions that pent up over time. 

I've often met people who, with a simple how are you doing, end up releasing pent up feelings and ideas and thoughts.  Sometimes you visible see a lifting of their spirits, just by their talking and relating what's on their heart.  Sometimes the burdens are made lighter, simply by expressing what's inside; however trivial it may seem. 

That is why sometimes it is far better to engage the listening and disconnect the tongue.  Just my thought. What do you think?