Being Right

I was driving home the other day, letting my mind relax and wander over my week, when this question struck me: How important is it to be right? It’s funny what your mind will tell you when you give it a chance to talk. I pondered the idea… Being right can be satisfying – I want people to think I’m smart, quick and in-the-know. I get pleasure out of feeling like I have something relevant to say or teach. Digging deeper though, I realized that often, when I make it a point to be right, it inherently means that someone else in the conversation is wrong. When I’m wrong, my first emotion is usually embarrassment. I feel I’ve failed at portraying all the things I like about myself so much when I’m right. I feel silly, shy and sometimes even stupid. My face turns red and all I want to do is prove that I wasn’t entirely wrong – Something I said must have been right!

Going back to the question, I think sometimes it can be important to be right, but not as often as I may be inclined. Being a writer, I have a tendency to correct people’s grammar. ‘I wish I were’ instead of ‘I wish I was’… Ultimately though, I’m happiest when the people around me are happy. So, in a selfish way, it’s to my betterment to not make others feel inferior even under the guise of helping. When it’s important, sure, find a nice way to point out that someone may be mistaken. But first really ask: How will my being right affect the situation? Probably, it wont make anything better. So relax, chuckle on the inside, and remember that the important things in life are lifting others up and having fun. Don’t be a fun-sucking smartypants.