About a month ago I was hurtful to my daughter Elizabeth.
I wasn’t trying to be. I told myself I was trying to be clever and funny. But the truth is I was being a smart ass.
She has forgiven me. And that’s very good. But neither of us will forget it soon. That’s also good, because I don’t want to repeat that. I hate knowing I’ve been hurtful to someone I care about.
However, in the last day or two I did essentially the same thing. In what I thought was an attempt to be funny and clever, I misinterpreted the innocent, pleasant comment of someone I respect and am fond of. I responded as a smart ass. It had the same effect.
I titled yesterday’s post on this blog, “Chastened, but unabashed.” Today I am very abashed, and will try my best to resist future temptations to be a smart ass. When I try to be one, I usually succeed half way, and it’s always the latter half. The parties involved understand what I’m talking about.
Viki said in a recent comment that it seemed a lot of people were demanding public apologies from me, and that ought to tell me something (paraphrase). How very prescient of her.
3 comments:
Re: prescient. I guess I'll have to bookmark Websters online dictionary if I'm going to read your blog.
Okay, I'll admit it. You are the front end of smart ass occasionally.
Occasionally?
Occasionally?!
(I didn't think it was that often.)
Websters is certainly more trustworthy than John Earle's DotM (Dictionary of the Moment)! Yes, I'm still giving you a hard time about that. Guess I learned how to be a smart ass from somewhere?
Post a Comment