Words That Should Never Be Left Unsaid
Remember the time you were alone with someone you cared for. You felt so
in
love, and you wanted so much to say, "I love you." But you were shy. You
held back. You didn't say a word. And when you looked again, she had
gone.
You had let that moment, the best and only time to say it, slip by. The
magical moment, gone forever.
You watched your best friend on stage. He was flawless. His performance
was remarkable. When you saw him backstage, you pretended to be composed,
and all you said was, "OK!" But what you really wanted to do was hug him
and
jump about in overflowing admiration, and scream, "You were great! You
were
so fantastic! I'm so proud of you!" But you didn't say it. You held
back.
Later you realized your best friend would have appreciated you more, and
felt more elated if you had said the words you felt like saying.
How many times have you found yourself regretting that you didn't speak
out
the love, admiration, sympathy, or joy that you really felt? How many
times
did you want to believe the moment will come again, but had to accept that
chances are it never will? How many times did you go to bed repeating to
yourself, "I should have said..."?
It takes a little presence of mind to grab these pockets of space and
time
that give us the opportunity to say the words that should not be left
unsaid. We all understand that these precious moments present themselves
briefly. And we all know that as brief as they are, these are the times
we
must recognize as rare opportunities for us to express how much we care.
Yes, words that say how much we care - that is the only reason we cannot
afford to let the moment slip by. The words are short and simple. They
can
be said over and over again. They never lose their meaning. No one
tires
of hearing them. And their impact is enhanced when said at the right
moment.
These are the simple but powerful words that should never be left unsaid.
Compliment. Everyone loves a good compliment. The best moment is when
there are a lot of people around. Say it promptly, say it aloud.
"You're looking good!"
"Nice hair!"
"Black suits you well!"
"Your nails are gorgeous!"
"Did you lose weight?"
"Cool car!"
"You must tell me where you bought those shoes!"
Reinforce. It sounds like a compliment, but it's more of a reinforcement
or
affirmation of something someone did well. "That was a nice thing to
say."
"Your performance was flawless!"
"You were incredible out there!"
"Hey, I couldn't have done it better!"
"This is a masterpiece! Can you give me a copy?"
"When I grow up I want to be like you."
Empathize. Share feelings. If you were in his shoes, what words would
you
like to hear?
"You must be very proud of your kids!"
"I'm so happy for you."
"This is so exciting!"
"I'm enjoying this. Let's do this more often."
Sympathize. Show compassion. Be there and comfort. Condole.
"I understand how you feel."
"It's all right."
"You'll be fine."
"Things will work out. Don't worry."
Apologize. This takes not only timing, but also sincerity. An apology
is
one of the most powerful words that should never be left unsaid. It
heals
wounds, mends broken hearts, and brings back what otherwise would have
been
needlessly lost forever. Be sorry. Be honest. And say it.
"I'm sorry."
"Please forgive me."
"It's my fault. It will never happen again."
Express. Translate expressions of love and happiness to words. The
right
moment presents itself all the time. Grab it before it goes away. Say
how
much you care. Express how happy you are. Share the feeling. Put it in
words.
"I really enjoy shopping with you."
"It's so nice to see you again."
"I'm so glad I work here."
"I'm very proud of you, my son."
"I love you very much."
Appreciate. And don't forget the most important words of all, the words
that express appreciation, goodwill, and caring, the words that one can
never have too much of, and therefore should never, ever, be left unsaid,
"Thank you."
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Posted on Oct 19, 2004 by Gracey_heart
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