“Shut Up” and Enjoy It

24Apr08

I was riding in the car with my six-year-old daughter and she said, “Mom, I know the word  ’shut up’ is a really bad word, but saying it just feels like a massage to my mouth.  I don’t say it to be mean at all, but I say the words  ’shut up’ and my mouth just feels SOOOOooo good. I wish I could say,  ’I don’t want to listen to you and the things you are saying make me want to take a nap,’ but….then it wouldn’t feel like a massage, so there isn’t enough reason make myself say it. I don’t know why, but I just want to be able to say ‘shut up’ and enjoy it.”

Somehow, without laughing, I said, “Maybe you need to think of a good way to say that you don’t want to talk about things right now or that you don’t like what the person is saying.”

To which Rachel replied, “Mom, I don’t want to talk about what you just said.  So let’s just shut up ourselves.”   

Then she busted out laughing. She’s a funny one, and her quirky little comments often turn life into a comedy.

Truth be told, there’s plenty to consider in there. For some of us, opening up about what is on our mind is more challenging, and for others of us, ‘shutting up ourselves’ is the harder task. Love invites us to learn to do both, as well as recognize when we’ve gone past our limitations and we just need to shut up. I’m praying to be wise about when to do what.

©AmyinDallas, 2007-2008

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