We hear it all the time, but picking my battles is something I struggle with probably more than anything else. In my pursuit of truth and justice, I am sometimes blinded to the long-term goals and what is really important. Picking my battles is a skill I’m working on, and sometimes I feel like I’m failing. But still I go on.
The most difficult time for me when it comes to being able to hold my tongue, is when it affects someone else negatively. I can handle when bad things happen to me. But if someone is being hurt, and me opening my mouth might take that hurt away, I will generally open my mouth. The number of times I’ve been proverbially crucified for such noble action, is more than I can count. Of course, there have been plenty of times that my big mouth was opening up in my own defense, but it’s much easier for me to shut it if I’m the only person at stake.
The questions I have to ask myself are, “What is my long-term goal? Will saying something keep me from those long-term goals, or will saying something make the journey to my goals more difficult?” Some times, based on the severity of the in justice, it’s worth it to alter the goals. But generally speaking, the end result does justify the means if it signifies that I will have to be quiet.
But that is a very hard lesson to learn!
