...my least-favorite word (as James Lipton and Bernard Pivot before him and Marcel Proust even before him would have it).
No.
Something that has had its own impact on many aspects of my life. It's not a word I much like to hear. Nor, to my cost and to the cost of those around me at times, is it a word I like to utter.
So, KjM's a "Yes-Man"? Well, not in so many (or few) words. But, I've had difficulty saying "No" on and off across my life. We remain a work in progress. This is one area where there has been some progress, painfully achieved.
Of course, given I write, "No" is becoming quite the familiar sound. "We read your work and...regret..." "Thank you for sending us your work but...have decided not to..." "We received your entry...not a fit..."
So many ways to say "No". Who knew?
Not I. My native language, Irish or Gaelic, has no(!) word for it. Truth to tell, it doesn't have a word for "Yes" either. Crafty people those Celts. Can never get a straight answer out of them.
I had no idea Gaelic doesn't have no or yes. Crafty, indeed!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say no. So many times I've said the opposite, regretting it all the while. The older I get, the easier "no" slips off my tongue, though.
I know the feeling, Laura. Getting there...getting there.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am all too family with "No" but am a perpetual sucker... I hardly say it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I will watch your kids, washer your car, and/or loan you 5 bucks :-P
~2
Funny thing, I have said too many "no's" in my life, me thinks. Not in so many words tho. (yeah, I know it doesn't make much sense, but I'd get way too personal to explain, sorry :P)
ReplyDeleteLoved to know that detail about Gaelic, Kevin. I'm passioned about languages.
Learning to say no is hard. It's something I still work on. Some days I find it easier than others.
ReplyDelete