At a University, Anwar Saddat was attacked from the audience for not speaking out when his predesessor, Nasser undertook particular actions.

“Who said that?” Saddat asked.

Silence

“Who said that?” he asked again.

Silence.

“Now you know the value of silence”.

In every day life there are things that happen, and we have a lot to say. But if we don’t speak until we know all the facts….?

A particular old man, Mr. Beanpole, was to pay the electricity for a premises on behalf of the owner who was abroad.  It was getting very tediuous, and one day, the lights were locked off.  Everyone was cursing Beanpole, but I instructed that nothing be said to him, I would contact Miss May, the owner, and inform her.  She asked me if I would undertake the payment.  She would have the money sent each month from her account to mine.

For efficiency’s sake, I agreed.  As the due date neared and the money hadn’t arrived, I realized it hadn’t been Mr. Beanpole’s fault, it was Miss May who was rather cavalier about the bills.  Instead of making a standing order, she wanted the control of being informed of each sum for utilities then giving the order to her bank. 

Everyone was grateful that they hadn’t attacked Beanpole, although it seemed evident to me that Miss May had virtually ’set him up’ .

Very often I have found myself instructing others, “Don’t say anything.”   This is because life has taught me that unless you have all the facts it is very likely you are being manipulated.   Many times a situation is created beyond the control of persons like Beanpole.   An underling easily blamed for whatever goes wrong when in fact that underling has no control nor authority.

A document had to be delivered by a certain date.  The messenger never received that document until the date had passed.  Why he never received it is best known to those who had the authority to compose it.  Blaming the messenger has become the standard.  Hence it is his fault the document was not delivered, not the fault of those who didn’t get around to composing and signing the document.

Hence, it is better not to condemn the Beanpoles in life.