I don’t know how many of you remember using AOL mail back in the day. (confession, I still have an AOL email that I use! My brother makes fun of me regularly for that!) But when it was really popular and everyone had it because it was basically the only option, there was an “unsend” option. So if you sent something to someone who also had an AOL email address and decided you didn’t want to tell them that after all, you could “unsend”- basically retrieve- your message if you did it before they read it.
For some reason I was thinking about that this week. That button sure would come in handy in our real-life conversations, wouldn’t it?
Impatient words with the kids? Unsend.
Snappy words at hubby? Unsend
Those words you didn’t really mean about your best friend? Unsend
Expletives shouted at other drivers? Unsend
Unfortunately that doesn’t exist and what we say to everyone around us- whether it’s in person, through text, on social media or wherever- when it’s out there, it’s out there. I am constantly amazed at what comes out of people’s “mouths” on Facebook and I even found myself a few weeks ago in an argument that I didn’t go looking for but joined in nonetheless. It was so silly and I wonder why I find that I need to defend my decisions to someone I’ve never met and who doesn’t live my life? Thankfully after one comment I shut it down and didn’t go back, but this happens every single day.
Oh, how nice an “unsend” button would be, but instead, I’ll pray Philippians 4:29 for myself:
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Also- I LOVE this book (<—click) (and am currently finishing it up) and highly recommend it to anyone who struggles with controlling their emotions. It’s just really, really good.
How about you? Is thinking before you speak something ingrained in you or do you also find yourself wanting to “unsend” things you said?
About Kelli Hays
