Because, more often than not in these times, I don’t know what to say, my thoughts can feel like dense fog — groping for understanding. This fog might explain why often I am at a loss for words.

No Wonder I Don’t Know What to Say
Bottom line, honest to Pete: I don’t know what to say when people say the things they do. It’s not like most of us are looking for responses when we make the declarations we do. Seriously!
Being unpleasant seems to be your only hobby. ~Livingston Welch, A Victim of Rest, 1924 [Eve to Adam —tg]
Oh, but I, too, am smack dab in the middle of these times of declarative sentences. Ask my kids.
Declarative sentences rarely open a good conversation. And, assumptions often blow out flickering fellowship, cooperation and progress. Just watch CSPan’s coverage of our Congress, or listen to the Washington Journal. (She declared.)
It is amazing how many people think they can answer an argument by attributing bad motives to those who disagree with them. Using this kind of reasoning, you can believe or not believe any thing about anything, without having to deal with facts or logic. ~ Thomas Sowell, (quoted by David French Where the Truth Goes to Die)
And I remain an onlooker . . . with little power or influence, save for sharing a few edifying apples. Here’s one:
READ
“If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. ”― Michael Crichton HISTORY —
The Bible reports a lot of history, and wisdom in times of rising waters; these times when I don’t know what to say.
. . . the way to navigate such waters is still to follow the book of Proverbs’ prescription for your words. They must be honest, few, extremely well-crafted, usually calm, always aimed to edify (even when critical) and they must be accompanied with lots of silent listening. Tim Keller
The Pandemic, etc. isn’t God’s first rodeo; nor is this crazy time the first time the church has been thrown for a loop.
I am half-way through Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History, by John Dickson. (Click the link for lively discussion — she declared.) To borrow a description from David French, the saints in church history constructed a thick skin while preserving an open heart. So far, the bullies in church history . . . well, I am seeing the more things change, some things don’t.
It’s good then when I don’t know what to say — because I said it already —to look for new hobbies — or keep at the old ones: writing and painting — and silent listening.

Because I Sill Don’t Know What to Say
Listening to (reading) to your comments, it strikes me that each sentence you called out as “declarative” would actually be labeled “imperative.” A declarative sentence simply makes a statement. An imperative sentence calls on the reader (listener) to do something. The only other option for sentence classification is the question. You’ve made a lot of assertions which are simple declarations, stating your beliefs/opinions without calling other people’s assumptions into question. I believe that your argument would become more powerful if you would substitute “imperative” – sentences which tell other people what to do – for your original “declarative.”
thanks! I have hung back from being as plain as I wish I might be . . . All I hear in my head is my southern aunt prefacing so many sentences with I declare . . . followed by an imperative. lol
Hmm, I’m not sure I can duplicate your new look. Menopause got rid of my turtlenecks.
And let’s not forget the power of prayer. I know I should pray even as I read/watch/listen to the news but I get so riled up, I go off on another tangent. Pray for those who distort the truth. They need it.
Good post, she whispered inside her head. Clinging to Job 13:5’s wisdom.
BTW, I’m joining tour fashion trend!
You are so right: pray for those who are distorting the truth — but more than that I pray that I can keep my thinking cap on and listen– silently. What prompted this latest post was a friend who will NOT listen or read anything but favorite podcasts. She has NO idea who runs the the news sources upon whom she relies … and yes while some of our traditional outlets are now in the hands of bigger conglomerations than even WR Hearst could have imagined– most have an editorial board . . . I pray for sound thinkers on the boards of news outlets! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership
Thank you reading and commenting — turtlenecks hide my neck
bwsmith