Speaking it into the Universe

So i was browsing blogs earlier today and came across something i found a little offensive, but without going into specifics, as it's that person's personal space and she is entitled to her thoughts, i won't disclose too much. In reading responses to that person's post however, i couldn't help but note the reassurance (and what almost seemed to be acalades) she received for a post that was probably offensive to several people on several levels.

This got me thinking about the first amendment to the Bill of Rights, freedom of speech. At some point, we decided free speech means saying whatever the hell we want without concern for where our words may land, and whom they may affect. Brings me to a word for which I have mixed feelings, feedback. Never more than over the course of this year have i realized that feeback is not one sided - there are two parts to giving feedback; the giving and the receiving. So often we get hopped up on saying what we have to say, thinking very rarely of the individual who may hear, or read what we have to say. Am i suggesting walking an eternal line of political correctness and holding onto your thoughts (me, the queen of speak first, think later?), no. What i am suggesting is that we measure the origin of our words. Are we speaking to hurt, to humor, to inform or simply to purge ourselves of thoughts too uncomfortable to keep to ourselves?

My mom always talks about speaking things into the universe - if you want good things to happen, you have to speak them into the universe or, don't put bad things into the universe. So i wondered what exactly that blogger was putting into the universe? I wonder about the things I sometimes put into the universe and how my words may be ill-received and sometimes even ill-intended....