A Sorry State of Affairs

The most difficult word to pronounce in the English language isn't "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." It isn't "antidiestablimentarianism" either. The most difficult word to pronounce has only five letters, but it's a real tongue twister. It must be. Why else would so many of us have such a hard time saying it?

The word? "S-o-r-r-y."

Now, you would think a word that size would be a cinch to pronounce, but it isn't. Some people won't even attempt to say it. Others practically choke on each syllable. Even some of thos who do get it our are so unsure of the pronunciation that they merely whisper it.

"Sorry" isn't always hard to say, though. There are some occasions when it just rolls right off our tongues. distinct as you please. This usually happens when the word is used in one of the following sentences:

"Are you ready to say you're sorry?"
"You're the one who should be sorry."
"Your're sorry? Well, you certainly should be sorry!"

When the word is used in that context, the correct pronunciation comes easily. The accent falls in exactly the right places. There's no stuttering or hesitation whatsoever.

But change the accompanying word "you" to an "I," and you'd think sorry was a foreign expression. People start mumbling, stammering, coughing.

We really should practice saying "I'm sorry" as much as we can. It's one of the most powerful phrases in the English language. It can heal broken friendships and broken families. It might even be a big step toward world peace.

Given its power, you'd think we'd use it a lot more often than we do.

Thoughts to Ponder:

Why do you think the word sorry is so hard to say sometimes?
Do you know any broken relationships that could be mended by the use of the word sorry?

Scripture to Stand On:

"Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance." 2 Corinthians 7:9

Bumper Sticker for the Day:

The way some people restrict their use of the word "sorry", you'd think it was on the endangered species list.

Hello Again, Lord...

Lord, help me to realize that getting out the word "Sorry" shouldn't require the Heimlich maneuver.

Martha Bolton