A Sharp Tongue

It must be unknown to some people with a sharp tongue how alienating it is. A sharp word, a quick but nasty comment, a veiled insult...it leaves a lasting impression. I've been guilty of this, too, and it always makes me disappointed with myself when I've done it. Surely we're better people than that, aren't we?

I remember how painful it was years ago when someone spoke to me in hurtful ways but I'm not the same person now that I was then. I don't become hurt anymore. I keep my distance, that's all. I wonder why it happened but I don't spend time worrying about it. You can't change other people's attitudes, you can only change your own and I work on that every day.

I hang out with kind people because I need to. They're the ones I'm comfortable with and the ones who are the most fun to be around. If one of my friends or family were to snap angrily or unfairly even at someone else, I would view them in a different light, too.

A few years ago I got fed up with my sister's temper and kept my distance for a while. We've patched up our differences and she doesn't lose her temper with me anymore but she still occasionally snaps at strangers when she's with me and I hate it. I'm just at a loss about how to handle it because I don't want to cause an argument between us. There is no reason for it except bad temper.

Last year a friend and I were standing in line at a buffet and a man walked up and stepped right in front of us. My sister would have torn his head off but my friend and I just looked at each other and laughed. It wasn't worth getting in a huff about. I don't always laugh at nincompoops but I don't lose my temper, either.

When I had depression I was always angry. I couldn't have told you exactly what I was angry about, just everything in general. Thank heavens the anger has long gone away and I never want to go there again. It's probably one of the reasons that discord bothers me so much now and why I strive to steer clear of it.

Life is so much easier when we treat each other with kindness, isn't it?