Don't you just love when life throws you a situation when you can teach your children something that will stick with them for (what you desire) will be a lifetime. We try to look for these frequently in our household and call them "teachable moments." Sometimes the teachable moment is something little. Sometimes it is a bit larger. I am usually always so happy when a situation like this arises. However, moments like these aren't always so fun when YOU are actually the one learning the lesson right along with your children.
For the past 2 weeks I have really been trying to share with my children how words are so powerful. In fact, if you would ask my 12 year old, he would be able to tell you that he has heard, "Once you say a word you can NEVER get it back." A few times the past few weeks.
Well, I am ashamed to admit that I became the object lesson for this "teachable moment". Yesterday, I was in the middle of several things. I was teaching, cleaning up the kitchen, checking my email on my iPad, and even attempting to communicate via text to someone. I wasn't really in the moment of any one of the things I was doing. And I certainly wasn't thinking about what was in my thoughts or what I have been trying to teach my children the past few weeks. And that is when it happened. In between a phonics lesson & helping another one of my children with a Literature question I popped onto my email (that I hadn't checked since morning) read an email and picked up my phone to share MY ridiculous feelings at that particular moment about someone, who is important in my life. With another person.
How many wrong things can you see in this last paragraph? First off, I needed to be more in the moment with my children (a few posts ago I talked about that and my conscious effort to look into the persons eyes I am communicating with.) Second, was there anything that pressing at the time that I needed to find in my email? NO! Thirdly, Fourthly, Fifthly..... when I had a ridiculous thought pop into my head did I take the time to really think about what I was thinking or what I was really saying and SHARE WITH ANOTHER PERSON? Did I take a few seconds to remember that once you say a word (or in my case words) that I will NEVER be able to get it back? Another resounding NO!
So then it happened, I hit SEND. And a little while later, when I checked my phone. I had a text from the person I was thinking unkind things about asking me if they were supposed to have received the text I had sent.
OUCH!
Ouch, for me yes. But a bigger OUCH for the innocent person who didn't do a single thing wrong.
I felt awful. I felt awful before I sent what I sent because in the very last part of what I wrote I put...BOY, I have a bad attitude. Well, then why in the world did I even justify sending what I sent. Anyway, it is done. It is over. I have apologized multiple times. And I have been told I am forgiven. But it still doesn't change the fact that I will never get those words back. It will never change that I hurt that person deeply with my senseless words.
I have asked for my forgiveness from whom I hurt. I have asked for forgiveness from God. And I have also asked for forgiveness from my precious children who watched me deal with this situation.
So there you have it, my not so fun teachable moment. Life is full of ups and downs. None of us are perfect and will make mistakes. What makes a person who they are is if they learn from their mistakes. I certainly have, and am so grateful for forgiveness from all involved.
Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
~Proverbs 21: 23
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