It occured to me today that I have not spoken a harsh, critical, demeaning, dismissive or otherwise negative word to Bettie all this week. Obviously everything has been loving, supportive, encouraging, and just generally positive. Oh how I wish I could say it's just another typical week in this regard. Alas, it isn't so.
I wonder if, in 50 years of marriage, I have ever gone so long without saying something stupid. Probably not. What a shame. What a waste of my God-given gift of being able to communicate ... communicate by choice is what I mean.
Many animal species communicate: we have a pond on our property and there also ponds on the properties on either side of us so we have lots of geese going over, and they are always very verbal (if that's what you call goose talk). It is doubtful, I'm sure, that they ever criticize, condemn, or complain though. That is pretty much a human charactistic...and not a good one.
If I get a chance to start over with Bettie, you can bet I'm going to make some better choices on word selection. As Meredith Wilson put it in "Music Man", I'm going to "watch my phrazeology". I know I can do this because I'm doing it every day now; it's just a choice I make, and an easy one given the circumstances. But the circumstances don't determine my word choices really, it's me and only me. Coming to this conclusion when it is possibly too late to do much about it is kind of stupid. But if, by sharing this observation here, others can profit then something good may come of it.
I hope so.
Friday, June 26, 2009
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Dick, I am going back and re-reading Bettie's Challenge and I find it so difficult to believe you capable of unkind remarks to Bettie or actually to anyone unless they harmed Bettie or someone in your family. Your love for Bettie, as I told you before, is something wonderful to see and makes me a little envious. I am praying several times a day for you, Bettie and your entire family. Please take care of yourself also.
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