Notes By The Wayside #29 – The Strong Don’t Rush to Speak

There’s a kind of man who always has something to say.

Quick with the opinion. Quick with the story. Quick with the joke.

But quick isn’t the same as wise.

Men of Virtue don’t need to prove themselves in every conversation. They don’t scramble to fill silence. They don’t fear being misunderstood for a moment—because they trust their life to speak louder than their words.

Silence isn’t a weakness to be patched over. It’s a tool. A shield. A test.

When a man pauses before speaking, he doesn’t lose ground—he gains it. He shows that his words weren’t spilled, they were chosen. That he isn’t pulled by impulse, but guided by intention.

This doesn’t mean being cold or distant. It means being measured. It means not mistaking chatter for connection or volume for strength.

Let others compete for airtime. Let them burn energy trying to be seen. You? Be deliberate. Be precise. Be still long enough to see clearly—and speak only when it adds weight.

That’s strength. That's Virtue.