Day 25 of Lent 2020
Growing up I never heard my parents use bad language. If we did let a swear word “slip out” they would talk to us that it was inappropriate and our family doesn’t use words like that. Luckily, our family wasn’t like some of my friend’s families where they had to clean their mouths with soap when they used a swear word.
Today it is commonplace to hear the bad language on TV, movies, music, and in public. I frequently tell my students that if they start swearing now, while their brains are growing, it is going to become a habit and it will “slip out” when they don’t want it to. Often we take God’s name in vain without even realizing it.
It can be easy for us to get into destructive speech, especially in the teacher’s lounge. Having a bad day with a student, class, administrator, or parent can send the room into a negative playground. Even in front of a tough class, I have heard of teachers letting a swear word slip. Sometimes it happens, we are all human.
Just a couple of years ago our family and two other families went on a cruise from New York to Bermuda. There were many people from New York and Philadelphia on the cruise so swearing was everywhere.
On the last day of that cruise, our family was having breakfast in the Garden Cafe waiting for our turn to disembark the ship. Within earshot of our table was a group of adults talking about an incident the night before. F-bombs were flying all around as well as bad-mouthing and gossiping about another passenger. My husband said (just loud enough for our boys and that table to hear), “See boys, that is how you shouldn’t talk in a public place.” They left after that, thankfully.
A show that my husband and I watch frequently is M*A*S*H. I have always loved how Col. Potter would use different creative ways to get his point across. He would use everything from Buffalo Biscuits to Horse Hockey.
A phrase my husband says is, “If it felt good to say, it probably wasn’t the right thing to say.” Words have more power than we even realize. What we say to others changes who they are in their heart and soul. May we use our words to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.