Use positive and loving words
I WAS enjoying my cup of coffee when I overheard a mother at the next table scolding her young son for not keeping his toys in a bag. Then the father came into the picture and proceeded to express his disappointment too.
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the boy. Based on what had transpired, I felt that they were frustrated at something else and the son just happened to be at the wrong place and the wrong time. I could see that he was feeling humiliated after such a public scolding.
Does this episode sound familiar? Have we been guilty of a negative emotion and unleashed our frustrations on innocent bystanders? Words are something we can’t take back once we let them out.
There’s a Malay proverb that says, “You can reverse an overshot boat, but if you overshoot your words, be prepared for a dire consequence.” Many of us are likely to have gone through similar episodes in one form or another.
Yet, this incident and others like it serve to highlight the fact that people with “family
Using harsh words when scolding your child can destroy the family harmony.
authority” often take their role for granted. They’re less careful with what they say and do to their loved ones. These people include brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, and yes, parents too.
CONTROL THE TIME BOMB
Like it or not, our younger siblings, relatives and children look up to us as a shining
example. But when we lose control, things can get ugly. They trust us to treat them in the best way possible — with dignity and respect. When they unexpectedly become the victim, they may be wondering, “I’m supposed to be your loved one. How could you say those words to me?” Feelings will be hurt and relationships affected.
It’s also quite ironic how some people can be extremely nice to strangers and yet so mean to their loved ones. In today’s highly pressured world, this phenomenon is becoming more rampant than ever. At work, we’re swarmed with work and deadlines. Higher and higher expectations are placed by employers on their workers. Coupled with the rising cost of living, many people are finding it hard to cope, let alone be happy and satisfied with their lives.
All these contribute to the pent-up feelings inside. They try hard not to let it out on their customers, co-workers or the cashiers in the supermarkets because that would be embarrassing. But when they get home, they can’t contain it anymore. It just needs “small” triggers like a messy home, a noisy child, or an annoying sibling for the time bomb to explode. When it does, it destroys the family harmony, reversing back hours of time spent nurturing a happy and loving family.
So, let’s take the last few days of 2017 to reflect on whether we have been behaving this way in the last few months. More importantly, let’s find a way to turn the situation around and create more positive episodes in 2018. Let’s begin by using more positive and loving words with our loved ones.