Misunderstandings. We all experience them at one time or another in our lives. For some odd and mysterious reason, God has granted me with the gift of causing these misunderstandings more often than most people. Now, some people may think otherwise, with my being so good at writing and all:) It's true folks. I was born with my foot in my mouth. I don't know why it happens, and I try my darndest to prevent it from happening, but alas, my attempts are futile.

I asked my brother for advice on this and in a typical brotherly fashion he tells me "Steph, you're just a moron. It's a gift, I think." Gee, thanks man. Then he gets serious and points out that maybe people take things more seriously than they ought to be taken. Maybe so, maybe not, but words once said, can never be taken back. People get hurt by my stupidity, by my carelessness, and I'm sorry for that. It is never my intention to hurt anyone, especially those whom I love so dearly.

That's a scary thing to me; that I have the power to make someone feel so hurt just by a mistake that I made in what I said or didn't say or forgot to say or should have said. It hurts more when I can't fix it. All the explanations in the world can't get rid of the things I say. Words hurt, even if we don't mean for them to hurt. I can't help how people take things, but I can make sure that what I say can't be taken in any other way than the way I meant them to be taken.

Make your lives beautiful. Fill them with love and laughter and the ability to say what you want to say without fear of how others will take your words.