<p>We had an elderly person as a neighbour when I was a school-going child. One of his mannerisms often left me puzzled. Want to know why? Whenever someone expressed their opinion on trivial matters, he would immediately vocalise his approval of their decision and side with them. No! He wasn’t timid as he used to give valuable suggestions when asked for. On several occasions, I have noticed this behaviour of his and have wondered why he did so.</p>.<p>Today, as I think about him, I feel, I can understand his behaviour. Let me explain. Why should anyone form an opinion about every incident occurring around that person? As Craig Ferguson, a Scottish-American writer, put it, before we put forth an opinion, we must ask ourselves these questions: Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said by me? Does this need to be said by me now? Well, won’t these simple queries put to ourselves, go a long way in checking out whether our valuable opinions will really be heard? Sometimes people will not be in their right frame of mind to digest our opinion. It is always best to wait for the appropriate opportunity for our opinions<br />to resonate.</p>.<p>We all may have come across the famous Panchatantra story, <span class="italic">The talkative tortoise</span>. The story goes that the tortoise befriended two cranes. Due to famine in the area in which they lived, they plan to move to a greener pasture in a unique way: The tortoise would hang by its mouth on the stick, and the cranes would haul the stick up and fly away. While they were flying, the tortoise could hear villagers on the ground making many unsavoury comments. Trying to assert its opinion at the wrong time and place, the tortoise opened its mouth, only to fall to its death.</p>.<p>Well! All said and done, won’t we be like that tortoise in the story and find our own disgrace if we express our opinion at the wrong place and time?</p>.<p>As the saying goes, “To be taken seriously, try being educated instead of opinionated.” How true!</p>
<p>We had an elderly person as a neighbour when I was a school-going child. One of his mannerisms often left me puzzled. Want to know why? Whenever someone expressed their opinion on trivial matters, he would immediately vocalise his approval of their decision and side with them. No! He wasn’t timid as he used to give valuable suggestions when asked for. On several occasions, I have noticed this behaviour of his and have wondered why he did so.</p>.<p>Today, as I think about him, I feel, I can understand his behaviour. Let me explain. Why should anyone form an opinion about every incident occurring around that person? As Craig Ferguson, a Scottish-American writer, put it, before we put forth an opinion, we must ask ourselves these questions: Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said by me? Does this need to be said by me now? Well, won’t these simple queries put to ourselves, go a long way in checking out whether our valuable opinions will really be heard? Sometimes people will not be in their right frame of mind to digest our opinion. It is always best to wait for the appropriate opportunity for our opinions<br />to resonate.</p>.<p>We all may have come across the famous Panchatantra story, <span class="italic">The talkative tortoise</span>. The story goes that the tortoise befriended two cranes. Due to famine in the area in which they lived, they plan to move to a greener pasture in a unique way: The tortoise would hang by its mouth on the stick, and the cranes would haul the stick up and fly away. While they were flying, the tortoise could hear villagers on the ground making many unsavoury comments. Trying to assert its opinion at the wrong time and place, the tortoise opened its mouth, only to fall to its death.</p>.<p>Well! All said and done, won’t we be like that tortoise in the story and find our own disgrace if we express our opinion at the wrong place and time?</p>.<p>As the saying goes, “To be taken seriously, try being educated instead of opinionated.” How true!</p>