"Old Saying Emphasizes to Think Before we Talk" by Susan Pearl

"He stuck his foot in his mouth".

"Say what you mean and mean what you say".


I think many of us can identify with this old saying because we have said something that didn't come out the way we meant it or we were unaware of all the facts and interpretations of what we had said being offensive and insensitive to others.

It is a stinging moment and humbling because the last thing that was intended to do was to offend someone.  It is a mistake so an apology or sincere explanation of the basis for the statement and correction of that basis is in order.

All we can do is hope that others will let it go and not hold such ill spoken words against us.  Once such words are said it can go either way.  Such spoken words that are painful to others may end a friendship by the divisiveness and separation such thoughtless words cause.

We have to take responsibility for what we say.  There is a consequence to our words that inflict a hurtful moment to others in an unkind or thoughtless way...…even if unintended the damage is real.

To say something hurtful and then to say "just kidding" doesn't make any sense to me. I go by another old saying:  "Say what you mean and mean what you say"--then chances are you won't "stick your foot in your mouth".