Quote Originally Posted by Father Bill View Post
Fellows, I'm reading some posts that say basically that folks should just toughen up, grow a thick skin and have some more gumption. From my counselling experience however, that's just not the way emotions work.

If someone feels hurt, embarassed, offended, upset... that IS the way they feel. Telling them to toughen up is akin to attacking them for having feelings. It would be nice if hurt would go away or better, never come, but it doesn't work that way.

How we respond to someone's comment is within our control, but how we feel just isn't.

I love the tolerance of so many. I love as brothers and sisters those who are carefully minding the way in which they express themselves.

God give me grace and wisdom that what I express in well-meaning kindness never be taken as anything but that, and never as an attack.
A very sage observation Fr. Bill, and one which should certainly resonate with all men and women of goodwill.