Why are you explaining?

While in the university, I had a friend who had a way of making you feel foolish when you did some things.

Basically, his method of doing that was quite simple. Say he saw you fraternizing with a girl or perhaps having heated words with some person or you made a bold assertion about something, he gave you “that look.”

“That look” was such that you’d feel an urge to explain to try to make him ‘see reason.” The only problem was that during your elaboration, he’ll cut you off, raise his voice above yours, and in broken-english he’ll ask “why you come dey explain?”

His style was such that even when you were certain you were making a good point, the desire to explain further became practically nonexistent.

My friend believed that mostly, elaborate explanations for justification were a waste of everyone’s time. He also believed that one that explains too often (in long sentences) had too much of a desire to justify his every thought or word or action before everybody.

Bothering too much about providing everyone with strong explanations for your actions and tendencies is counterproductive. Of course you owe some people in your life acceptable explanations sometimes, however, be careful not to be sucked into a life of proving yourself with so many words just so everyone is satisfied with you. It’s never going to happen anyway.

Many times, the simplest explanations are the best, the shortest answers the most advisable.