Sri Sai Baba`S:Charters And Sayings

FOURTEENTH TALK 269

great deal said which would be much better left
unsaid. One who is always talking cannot always be
talking wisely. You see it every day. You will not
find garrulous people the wisest; you will not find
them the greatest thinkers as a rule. He says:

So be accustomed to listen rather than to talk ; do not
offer opinions unless directly asked for them.

That is rather an important point. Do not offer
opinions unless directly asked for them. As I tell
you, some people are always talking, and are always
making confident assertions. It would perhaps be
favouring them to say that only fifty per cent of these
are absolutely wrong. It is generally much more.
Some people ^cannot hear a wrong statement made
without instantly contradicting it, and creating a
certain amount of disharmony and argument. Do
realise that it is not your business to put right every-
body who is wrong; it is not your business to correct
opinions. If you are asked your opinion on the
subject, then state it, but state it very calmly and
temperately, and not in a spirit of opposition. Put
it very gently. Let the other person talk ; it probably
pleases him, and does not do you any harm. It is
not your business to go about putting everybody right.
It is your business to go about helping people as much
as you can in a quiet sort of way, but not necessarily
to feel that you must set everybody right, and object
and protest. You will simply lead yourself into riot