006.What is the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?(2分スピーチ)
What is the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?
To this day, I can still remember my third-grade elementary school teacher saying, “Remember students, it’s not about what you say, but how you say it.” She was referring to the fact that the intricate meaning of spoken communication can vary significantly depending on how speech is delivered.
For example, a common greeting such as, “Good morning, how are you?”, can project the warmth and sincerity of the speaker, or it can communicate cold indifference, depending on the vibe of the person saying the words. Even a simple “hello” may communicate caring and understanding if said with a happy heart. Likewise, this same “hello” may send shivers down the spine of a person if said with anger or frustration. For this reason, this simple, yet highly-sensible lesson from my third-grade elementary teacher is a memory that has stayed with me for all these years.
In fact, it is something that I carry close to me each day as I speak with the people around me. Whether I am at the supermarket, hanging out with my friends, or in the context of work, I have always tried to remember that it is the energy with which I deliver the content of my speech that is most important in conversations. Since face-to-face communication involves many non-verbal cues, such as eye contact and body language, I hold this sensible lesson from my dear teacher very close to my heart when communicating with other people.