Children can say, No, all day long – no problem! “Lil’ Johnny, will you share your popcorn with your friend? No! He already ate his. Well, did you get a cookie out of the cookie jar? No! as you see the cookie crumbs around his mouth. Lil’ Susie, will you pick up your toys? No! I don’t want to, I’m still playing. Will you bring me my umbrella, please? No! I’m doing something right now.”
Something happens with this word when we become adults. In a lot of cases, it takes more strength to say, No. Actually, we can email it or text it better than we can say it. We don’t want to offend, make enemies, or make ourselves look bad. When your grown children ask for a loan, even though they haven’t paid the loan they already owe – it’s o.k. to say, No! Especially if you see them in a new outfit, it makes for bad feelings. If your boss wants you to stay back again tonight, and you promised your family you would be home early, go ahead, say the word – you can do it – No! There, you did it! And when your best friend would like to move in, since you have plenty of room, but the last two friend move-ins were disastrous – say, No!
Consequently, a lot of “No’s” may break a good relationship. Words from Hearts-R-Mending may be just what you need. For instance, the words for best friends who are no longer best friends may be able to melt the ice from around the heart of the offended friend:
If it were my secret
It became yours too
Because being so close as friends
No one else could know except you.
At one time we were real close
And I hope that we will work toward that end
I had no idea it wouldn’t last
Because we had become ‘best of friends’.