Speculation

 Words were intended to communicate ideas. Before language we just grunted and pushed each other around. Words were intended to be tools. Tools to be used by man for his benefit. Man was long thought to be the only animal that used tools, but that has been shown to be false. Other animals use tools to assist with a task and to communicate. It just seems like, along with everything else, man has figured out how to use that tool as a weapon ! We use that weapon almost every day and in every way imaginable. Instead of using our words to resolve our differences we use them to attack one another. Just like any other tool, when improperly used, they can cause injury. They can cause injury to others and to ourselves.
 Self inflicted injuries are the worst. I hate it when I do that. I hate it because I know that I shouldn't have been doing whatever it was I did ! Oh, you can try to justify your actions after the fact, but you know you were wrong.That is the part that really hurts. It is the inner realization that irritates the most. It sometimes takes days or weeks to subside. There are other times when that irritation just follows you around everywhere. I do have one advantage and that is that I am an unknown. Where I famous, or in a position of some authority or power, those instances would be magnified. Then those injuries linger longer.
 There is an old saying, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I heard that advice from my Mom and Grandmother a lot. They both held their tongue well, I'll give them that. Truth is they only held their tongue when the person was present. After the person was out of earshot, all bets were off ! Then they became an instrument of instruction. I was told everything that person had done wrong and why I shouldn't do that. Those words were not used as a weapon against the offending party, but as tools serving a constructive purpose; two really. They provided a release to the offended party and as a teachable moment. Old folks are usually pretty good at multi-tasking.
 Lawyers make their living using words as weapons. They attack and defend with them. They interpret their intended action. That is to say, lawyers attempt to explain the application of the tool. Was the tool being used in the proper fashion ? Was its' intent to aid or to hinder? That is why lawyers go to such lengths when writing anything. They must include all the wherefores and whereas's ! I use other words to describe those two prefaces but reserve those words for private discussions !
Refer back to the old saying I mentioned for clarification. Lawyers seek clarity in all things. The biggest hindrance to them accomplishing that is themselves. It is a word they often use in defense, speculation ! When a witness answers a question with anything other than direct eyewitness accounts that is when the defense will say, " speculation. " We can not accept speculation as fact. I believe everyone would agree with that. Funny though how that takes place every day. We read something, or hear someone speaking, and then we speculate upon what it was we just read or heard. Once we have decided upon its' meaning that is what we take as fact. Truth is, it is just speculation on our part. We can seldom be sure of the effect of our words. When we use those tools we must be careful. If we use the tools incorrectly we can find ourselves right back at the beginning, just grunting and pushing each other around. Words were intended to be tools not weapons ! Use them as such..