Actions Speak Louder than Words

There is an English expression that says, “Actions speak louder than words.” This means that what a person does is more important than what he or she says. I think this is a true statement, and can sometimes be a difficult standard to live by. As a parent, I need to teach my children important values. For example, if I tell them not to lie, I need to tell the truth at all times. This weekend I had a chance to reinforce this lesson with my son when we went shopping at Walmart. After I parked my van, I opened my driver's side door. Just then, a gust of wind caught my door and caused it to open faster than I had intended. As a result, my door hit the truck next to me and left a mark on it. The owner of the truck was not there, and if I chose to not admit my mistake, I wouldn't have had to pay for any consequences. However, that would not have been truthful. So, I wrote a note explaining what had happened and included my name and phone number. I put the note under the windshield wiper of the truck. My son and I talked about how it was important that I told the truth about what had happened. Later, the owner of the truck called me and said she appreciated my being honest. This was a chance to let my actions speak—and maybe my son will remember what I did. I don’t always succeed in matching my actions to what I say to my kids, but I try.