Don’t say “I’m not smart.”

Not in the way that you do, not as often as you do.

Don’t say “I’m not smart”
as if there is only one kind of intelligence, one type of wisdom,
and you are not it.
You are a beautiful friend, gifted with people, wise beyond your years, surviving your fears.
We forget that ‘being smart’ is not the same as being ‘good enough.’

Don’t say, “I’m not smart”
as if it is an excuse to stay small,
an excuse to give up,
an excuse to not meet me halfway,
an excuse to not follow where this may lead, if we walked the path together.
If you are scared, or unprepared
that is human, that is fine—
but do not blame your intelligence for things your emotions do.

Don’t say “I’m not smart” in that particular way you do, where you think that I’m challenging you and you won’t measure up. Please—if wisdom were a cup,
yours would only be empty ‘cause I’d keep drinking it up!

Don’t say, “I’m not smart”
because your mouth lies to your ears
and disarms you.
Don’t say “I’m not smart”
’cause it’s like your right hand punching your left
and it harms you.

And it harms me to hear you criticize someone I love.
You should love them, too, by the way.
They are more beautiful than you could ever imagine.

And so? When you say “I’m not smart…”
I will listen;
I will be a sounding board for anything you have to say.
Hey—maybe it’s just a bad day,
or maybe, as we all do (and as I should, too), you’re coming to terms with life’s sweet imperfections.

But connections are what matter, and you matter to me.
‘Cause the person I see? Of that phrase, isn’t worthy.
So if you say it enough, I will stop listening
and I will start to speak.

 

 

 

 

Relephant:

Beyond Good Enough: I Am Whole as I Am.

Learning to be Just Good Enough.

Author: Kristin Morris

Assistant Editor: Hilda Carroll/Editor: Renee Picard

Photo: Pixoto