This month’s precept is “Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much” – Blaise Pascal

I think Mr. Pascal meant that it’s easy to use kind words and they achieve more than mean, rude words do.

Option 1: Let’s say that there were two girls and those two girls were having an argument.

Girl 1: Why did you say those mean things about me behind my back?

Girl 2: How do you know I said anything about you?

Girl 1: Because I heard you say them. I just want an apology.

Girl 2: No, I’m not giving you an apology, you’re so selfish.

Girl 1: Hey! Why did you call me selfish?

Girl 2: Because you are selfish.

Both girls start yelling and shouting at each other, then a teacher comes and hears them arguing.

Teacher: Why are you girls arguing?

Girl 1 tells the teacher why and the two girls make up.

Option 2: Instead of arguing and making a big deal out of it, the girls could’ve used kind words like this:

Girl 1: Hi, I don’t like it when you say mean things about me behind my back.

Girl 2: I’m sorry that I was rude to you, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.

Girl 1: It’s okay, I accept your apology.

In both options there was a conflict but it got handled differently, because in option 1, Girl 2 started making a fuss. In option 2, the two girls handled the conflict but they resolved it with kind words instead of yelling and shouting. So would you want a conflict that you have to be like option 1 or 2. I honestly would like a conflict of mine to be like option 2.