Something to be Re-Learned

Did your mother (or father) ever tell you "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"? Well mine did. As a matter of fact for a couple of years I think it was her favorite thing to say. Being my Girl Scout leader, she had to keep us sometimes catty girls in line. She would also say it to me and my brother all the time. I think it was her way of telling us to Shut Up without actually saying Shut Up.

As I have gotten older, I have realized, either this is something that adults really don't mean or they have thrown this lesson completely out the window. How much better would the world be if this was our model for all we said. If you can't say anything nice, then shut it. I got this epiphany in the shower, so follow me for a minute, my logic in the shower is not always sound. IF this statement was true, then really where would the world be. Think of the news on TV. They would have nothing to say as most of what they have to report and of course, comment on is the horrible state of the world or the failure of the latest politician. Newspapers too would be in a quandary. Take it off the world and bring it down to your family (oh no, getting personal aren't I). My husband and I had an intense negotiation last night, as married people sometimes do. I confess (but don't tell anyone) I have a tendency to focus on the negative, but what if my vocabulary was only limited to the positive. Wouldn't our "negotiation" have been much smoother. I know I am getting a little bit crazy. I am proposing an entire paradigm shift in thinking. Never going to happen you say. Ha! IF this statement were true, you couldn't say to me "never going to happen" because that's not nice.

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Wise words to live by, starting with me.