Anyone ever tell you that you're 'funny looking'? If so, how did that make you feel...sort of sick inside?
How 'bout your children...anyone ever make fun of one of your precious ones?
Not funny...no way! Not nice to hurt people.
Anyone ever say in your presence, 'you look like a little idiot' and I mean, seriously mean it? Believe me, to this day I've never forgotten that statement...how cruel can a person be, huh?
Not funny...no way! Not nice to hurt people.
You know that saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me"....oh wow! That is a real rib tickler, huh? Words, figuratively speaking, can 'kill' me besides making me upchuck.
Worst thing is I've done that...me? Aw, I wouldn't do that...would I? Yep, sure would, sure did...and sadly I still sometimes slip and do it.
I'll never forget what Michael said to me one day. "Vasca, you don't realize how badly your words hurt me." That was a valuable, much needed lesson; believe me...I now carefully weigh my words. You know, husbands and wives can and do say hateful/embarrassing things to their partners. Why?
Not funny...no way! Not nice to hurt people.
Maybe you talk 'funny'? Some have told me I do and it's not my dialect, etc...it's simply the way my voice comes out of its box. I don't think I talk funny but...we don't all 'talk' the same way, do we?
When M and I moved from Oklahoma to Wisconsin, we chose to settle in an all-German farming community called 'the Holy Land'. Their ancestors came here from Germany in the 1800's and each group brought their own parish priest w/them to establish a church.
Being the only 'foreigners' we were the talk of our neighborhood then and tho' we've been gone 14 yrs, they still talk about us...fondly, which is nice!
Talking funny? Ha, we had difficulty understanding them and all of them talked about my 'little southern accent' and how they loved to listen to me! We became the best of friends despite all of our many, many differences. Dialects was the least of them. We loved each other and had a mutual admiration society.
Living all over America and several foreign countries was a most valuable, very eye-opening experience! It's so easy to stay in ones' comfort zone...no curve-balls, no surprises...nothing much changes!
I think that probably helped shut down, or at least slow-down my critical nature! Goodness knows it needed an overhaul. I determined that I would in no way demean or criticize our host country or its people. Talk about differences? Woohoo. Difficult to smile when eating dog, monkey & camel.
Not funny...no way! Not nice to hurt people.
I have purple birthmarks all over my right leg...born w/them...and talk about self-conscious. For the most part I've overcome that and thank God they're where they are and not in a more prominent place.
During one of our last trips to China I met a very lovely young woman. She had purple birthmarks on one side of her face and tried very hard to keep them covered with her long hair. It seems, people always stared at her!
Not funny...no way! Not nice to hurt people.
I shared/showed her 'my leg'...we discussed and shared about 'our purpleness' and lo and behold, she changed her hairstyle and blossomed...neat, huh?
'Course sharing doesn't always turn out so good. Years ago, I confided in one of my closest friends about my familial tremor and how I could send the communion juice into orbit...later on she said she wished I hadn't told her that because she began trembling...oops-a-daisy. Snookie and I are still best of friends.
I'm into 'niceness' and I'm determined that I will not be critical of others! I'm determined that I will not ignore others! I'm determined that I will not say hurtful things!
Now...here's the skinny!
Warts and all...I am going to look at you, recognize you, accept you as you are, without wanting to change you. I promise! Wanna' join me?
From my heart...to yours!
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