Me and my ‘ mad’ friends

 

I have a friend who swears. A lot. Every time you go out, not matter where you go or who is listening she swears about everything. She grumbles and complains and swears. She sounds so loud, even when she does it in a funny way.

 

Do you have any friends like that? Do you swear a lot yourself? Or do your parents or teachers? Sometimes it seems like everyone around us is swearing – it doesn’t seem to mean anything or mater because everyone is doing it. Have you ever not done it and watched how differently people treat you?

 

The other day I walked around the shops with my friends and they were criticising everything we saw and swearing to make the point. I was quiet that day because I was tired so I didn’t say much. Do you know what I noticed? You should try it and see for yourself, really you should!

 

I noticed that when I was by myself looking at things I felt one way and when I walked along with them listening to them complaining and swear I felt another. I began to feel upset and bitchy just like the way they were, like I was ready for a fight. But I wasn’t. I was listening and trying to fit in. It was like I was catching their feelings and points of view. It was strange and I hadn’t noticed that before. Very strange.

 

Now I’m thinking about it, it reminds me of someone else’s words, my parents. They were always telling me to be ‘careful of the company I kept’ to ‘choose my friends carefully’, that my friends might change me. I always thought they were wrong, I mean what do they know?

 

Well maybe, just maybe, this time thy were right. Don’t you hate it when that happens?

 

Keep away from angry , short tempered people or you will learn to be like them. Psalm 22: 4