In the mall with a girlfriend, a woman approached us. The two women embraced as I stood on the side. The woman seemed nice enough then she turned to my friend and said, "I saw your daughters the other day and they are so sassy! I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...(insert lol--the new Bless Your Heart with your big old head)".
My friend replied, "Your daughter is about to enter high school, isn't she?" The woman nodded. "Well I hope her apple rolls from the tree, otherwise you should start preparing to deal with her running away from home, to live in nothing more than a hostel with a bum five years her senior who to date still doesn't work to support his family."
My friend's friend, walked away highly insulted; she should have been. After my friend cooled off from having to go ugly we talked. "You think I was harsh don't you?" She asked me.
"No I don't." I replied to my friend's surprise. I went on to explain how I don't know when or where it became acceptable to communicate with others, family, friends or strangers, out of insult. And just because you think your insult is a small nibble--it might be--be prepared for the bite. We don't realize how insulting or hard that nibble may be. The rock you throw at someone else's house, just may be the pebble that shatters your own.
Remember think about what, how and why you're saying what you're saying. Harriet Cole urges us to ask ourselves:[ is it edifying, necessary, kind and relevant?] If the answer is no, to any one of those questions, re-think and re-phrase your statement.
This is Toni Staton Harris Checkin Up and In on Thrown Stones.....
No comments:
Post a Comment