Words matter. They need to be kind and clear, straightforward and gentle. The Metta Sutra reminds us of this. Gentle speech is more than just the absence of anger. It is also about telling the truth, and refraining from spreading rumors, or making fund of someone else, or even meaningless chatter, one of my all-time favorite pastimes! These are all forms of speech that can harm us, that can knock us off our spiritual path.
— Geri Larkin, Tap Dancing in Zen