Let No Unwholesome Word...

I'm just going to think out loud here for a moment.

Even though I have a rather flat and uneffusive personality, I'm pretty quick with one-liners and snappy retorts. For most of my life, I couldn't let an opportunity pass. Eventually, when I was in my forties, I decided I didn't need to be clever all the time. I learned to keep some of my humor to myself. I would open my mouth to toss off a line, then catch myself and think, 'You know, you don't have to say that. Just let it go this once.'

As I write this, I'm wondering what would happen if I let it go all the time.

I was listening to a dharma talk today by some zen teacher — I forget who. He briefly mentioned Buddhism's focus on 'right speech' — part of the Eightfold Path. It is not far removed from Paul's exhortation to the Ephesians to 'let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth.'

Witty or snappy lines don't necessarily qualify as 'unwholesome' words. They're certainly not as counterproductive or destructive as malicious gossip or outright lies. But if a person is known predominantly for being a wisecracker, how hard is it for him to be taken seriously at other times?

I have friends/acquaintances whose humor is as quick as mine. But I don't always find them entertaining; sometimes they seem obnoxious. For the first time ever this week, I deleted another person's comment from my Facebook page because I thought it was over the top. I think I'm always hilarious, but it may be that others find my humor just as unfunny and tiresome.

Why do I think I need to make people laugh? Why can't I just sit and talk without trying to be funny?

What would happen if I let go of trying to be funny?