Do you ever take offense at something someone you love says? Don't we all? So my question is, do we just get our feelings hurt silently or speak up? Doesn't mentioning it sound like the right thing to do? But the truth is when you share how their words make you feel it then hurts their feelings because they didn't mean to hurt yours. At that point, a simple misspeak becomes a big thing. Maybe just maybe, most little upsets can just be absorbed rather than aired.
Yesterday was an especially long day for me. One of my closest friends made a comment that completely hit me wrong. I made an excuse and hung up. Of course her reaction was that I was involved in a car accident or something with my abrupt hang up. When I admitted that she hurt my feelings we both spent the rest of the day miserable. She for feeling misunderstood and not having a chance to explain and me for upsetting her. I know her heart for me. Why did I not just listen and respond rationally?
The truth is we all say things throughout our days that are misheard or at least misunderstood. It may be that we speak without having the full picture or assume we have all the facts. Yesterday was a good reminder for me to not let myself jump to a negative place while listening to others.
We will be okay. But the truth is this whole unpleasant incident could have been avoided with a little patience and willingness to listen rather than allowing a knee jerk response to blow things up. Guess there is jerk in knee jerk for a reason. Love you my friend, my family. I am truly sorry for my reaction.
In Him,
Joyful
3-24-16
Joyful, thank you for sharing this. One of my daughters speaks to me sometimes in ways that hurt me but when I stop and think about it she is usually right. I am doing better since I spoke to a counselor about my feelings of being abandoned by my children. 6 children who have made different choices and too many changes in my stance as a mother to deal with sometimes. Blessings to you and yours.
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