An Unforgettable Lesson
In my grade school days, some of my classmates and I would spend our lunch money at the store close to the school. After the meal, we’d walk around, talking and laughing for the rest of the lunch hour. A girl named Nancy was usually with us. But one that particular day she wasn’t there, and as we chatted away, we ended up talking about Nancy, since opinions about her all seemed to be negative, I added, “Nancy isn’t very smart, either. She’s always asking others for their homework.”
When she saw me the next day, Nancy asked, “Did you say that thought I wasn’t very smart?” as I stood there looking Nancy in the face, I whished a thousand times that I could take back my cruel words. As I began to answer Nancy’s question I experienced the worst feeling that I had ever had up to that point in my life.
In an apologetic voice I answered, “Yes, Nancy, I said it. But I’m truly sorry.” Nancy accepted my apology. But that day as I stood there, with my heart in my throat, I learned a lesson: Never say anything about someone that you wouldn’t want them to hear.
