Two geese were preparing to start their journey southward for their annual migration when a frog asked if they would be willing to take him with them. The geese said yes but wondered how it could be done. The frog was very creative, so he produced a long but strong stalk of grass. He persuaded the two geese to hold each end while he clung to the middle by his mouth.

The unusual threesome took off and were making good progress when some men below, observing the strange sight, loudly expressed their admiration for their creativity and wondered aloud who had been clever enough to design it. When the frog heard them, his vanity got the better of him, and he opened his mouth to shout, "It was I!" He immediately fell to the earth and was dashed to pieces.

Perhaps the oldest adage about "keeping our mouths shut" is "Keep your mouth shut, and people will never know just how ignorant you are. Open it, and you remove all doubt." We're told we have one mouth and two ears, which is "proof positive" that we should talk only half as much as we listen.

As in most things, there are some elements of truth in these words. However, think of what we would lose if nobody talked. Can you imagine not hearing the sound of beautiful music, the laughter of a child, the song of a bird or an expression of affection from your loved one? How would we acquire much of the knowledge we have? There are times when we should talk, and there are times when we should listen. Wisdom will provide us the answer as to when we should talk or listen. Use that as a yardstick, and I'll see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free email newsletter through ziglar.com.

Photo credit: SAVA86 at Pixabay