Mouth Closed

It’s that time of year again here in the south, where you most definitely need to keep your mouth closed at all times while riding, unless of course you don’t mind some extra protein flying in. Personally I prefer to pick my own proteins out and prepare them my way.

Riding the past 2 weeks have been packed with so many hits by bugs of all sizes. Anybody who says a windshield stops that is WRONG. I have been hit on my legs, helmet, face, arms, and hands and let me just tell you that a bug can feel like a golf ball when it hits you while riding along at 55mph and can sting for quite a while after the hit depending on how big the bug is! I even thought it was beginning to sprinkle yesterday when I was riding, until I realized it was just bugs splattering.🤦‍♀️ Yes I assure you I did shower after that ride.

I don’t ever recall getting pelted as much as I have these past 2 weeks. I’ve noticed many more wasps than usual as well. Something wonderful I’ve experienced for the first time, however, is the sweet fragrance from wisteria. There seems to be more of it in bloom than I recall in past years and this is the first time I’ve ever smelled the pleasing aroma along so many routes. Maybe this has something to do with there being more wasps too I don’t know. All I know is those magnificent beautiful purple flowers smell as amazing as they look.

I’ve heard it said that if you focus less on one sense, you are more in tune to another. Maybe that’s part of noticing the fragrant aroma. My focus is obviously not on sense of taste or touch while riding (except when feeling those bugs) so maybe my sense of smell is heightened in their place? Whatever the reason I’m grateful to experience it.

As I continued to ride that made me think more about the whole “close your mouth ” idea as well. There are many times when I’m not riding that I also need to just keep my mouth closed. Not to avoid taking in bad things like bugs, but to avoid letting out bad or hurtful things. My hubby and I were recently discussing this as well. Way too often we as humans fuss or complain and maybe even argue about things that really just don’t matter in the big picture. How many arguments could be avoided if instead of saying something, we really thought about it first and determined whether it was even worth saying? I know for me personally, since I’ve learned to be silent more, it’s made a difference. Being silent and not starting something as well as being silent rather than replying to something someone else has said. We can all choose silence over a verbal response or initiating unnecessary comments. I’m not saying I always choose this path, but when I do the resulting peace is evident. A closed mouth can put the focus on another sense like hearing, seeing and even feeling more of what others may be saying and experiencing.

The tongue can fuel many fires that just don’t need to be set. I remember a verse to a children’s song that says, be careful little tongue what you say. If we teach it to our children, then don’t we need to practice it ourselves and not instead use the saying, do as I say not as I do?

We have the knowledge and we know what we need to do, yet sometimes the mouth just opens and those words sneak out. Unfortunately, then it’s too late. We can say we’re sorry but it’s still been said. It’s like toothpaste, once it’s been squeezed out of the tube, there’s no putting it back in.

The next several days have rain in the forecast so I won’t be riding unfortunately, but I will try to remember the sweet smells from this past week and also the thoughts it lead me to in regards to a closed mouth, wish me luck.

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.