I SO need to print this and put it ALL over my house!!! I've been struggling BIG time with this!!!
THE TONE OF VOICE
It's not so much what you say
As the manner in which you say it;
It's not so much the language you use
As the tone in which you convey it;
"Come here?" I sharply said,
And the child cowered and wept.
"Come here," I said---He looked and smiled
And straight to my lap he crept.
Words may be mild and fair
And the tone may pierce like a dart;
Words may be soft as the summer air
But the tone may break my heart;
For words come from the mind
Grow by study and art ---
But tone leaps from the inner self
Revealing the state of the heart.
Revealing the state of the heart.
Whether you know it or not,
Whether you are mean or care,
Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,
Envy, anger, are there.
Then, would you quarrels avoid
And peace and love rejoice?
Keep anger not only out of your words---
Keep it out of your voice.
(Author Unknown ... Taken from Gate-Keepers of the Home Manual by Nancy Campbell)
5 comments:
That'd be a good one for me to have as a reminder around the house too! Thanks for sharing.
Jozie's been crying a lot and kind of whiny since she got her cast off last week and I haven't been handling it well...and when I ask what the problem is she cries even harder because she says I am yelling at her for nothing...I know it's my tone of voice and I tell myself - and her - that I have to yell to be heard above her wales! Which doesn't help matters any! It's not been pretty!
I should remind myself of this more often as well! :)
I should tattoo this on my hand so I can't help but see it (or better yet, on the kids foreheads!). My tone can be so "Bleh" sometimes.
Thanks for the gentle reminder!
Mmm. Nice that others read this but hope it hits home. We are to lift one another up not tear down. Mom
love this...needed this...
love your new house and hope you're feeling better.
love,
missy
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