You can profit from my experience. I learned that someone I really care about has received some bad news concerning a family member's health. In my distress, I called her. She wasn't home but her answering machine picked up.
Note to self: Next time, HANG UP.
Or maybe have this script ready: Hey, this is Anne. I just heard your news and wanted you to know I'm thinking about you and praying for you. Call me if it suits you or if I can do anything. You're not in this by yourself.
Did I have that script ready? NO. In my distress, I waxed poetic, or not so poetically, about who knows what but I don't think it was very comforting because I believe some of the words that came spilling out of my mouth were "there are miracles, not that you need one."
So well intentioned. So poorly executed. Maybe by divine intervention she'll hear what I was trying to say, because I sure wish there was a way to erase the tangled web I did leave.
Maybe one of her kids will listen to it and forget to tell anyone they've got a message. Yet another thing kids are good for. Erase, erase, erase.
Oh Anne... but that's not quite as bad as sending one of the kids to deliver a verbal message to someone... and then after realising the mistake (due to the unexpected response from the recipient) no amount of pressing the play button later will reveal the message that was actually delivered.
...and this does shed a new light on the comments you leave me.
Posted by: Angry | January 24, 2008 at 04:33 PM
Yes, but you can always blame your kid, whereas they can hear me saying all the wrong things over and over and over again, though I'm sure it would only be played once.
I can usually bail myself out of my bumblings and ramblings one-on-one, but give me an answering machine or a blog comment (I'm allergic to the preview button) and I can really barge right on in with the words that can be interpreted the wrong way. At least as regards my intention.
I live life as a rough draft.
Posted by: Anne | January 24, 2008 at 07:36 PM