T.H.I.N.K.

Yesterday, a post from Dana Gould came across my Facebook page:

And while I agree with what he says, I became annoyed. Because I don't like calling people names, and I do my best to not call anyone a name if I can help it. (Of course, I can't lie: behind closed doors, without little ears around, I have honestly voiced my opinion about many people.)

So I posted the following on my timeline:

I will never refer to Trump as "Cheeto-colored" because that's not the type of person I am. But I work in a very diverse place--one that hosts all sorts of opinions, all sorts of people, all races, genders, and cultures. And yesterday, I walked behind a woman who was on the phone, talking about the "happy dance" she was doing now that the Obama family was exiting the White House. She used very colorful language to describe the Obama family, words that would have hurt them had they been present, and words that I found completely offensive. 

This post reminded me of that incident yesterday, and it also reminded me that change can occur in the simplest of ways, starting with words. Think about the words you use each day; think about treating everyone with respect; think about how we--average citizens of this United States--can help bridge the divide by simply thinking about what we say and how we say it. 

T: Is it true?
H: Is it helpful?
I: Is it inspiring?
N: Is it necessary?
K: Is it kind?

All day, I thought about the lady on the phone at work and the words by Dana Gould; I couldn't shake them and I wasn't sure why. I think it's because I truly believe what I said: that we need to think about our words. Treat everyone with respect. Do our best to be kind to one another. T.H.I.N.K.

Starting small is just fine...perhaps that small start can eventually make a difference.