Have you ever felt completely misunderstood?Like when you’re learning a language and you try really hard to say the word “embarrassed” and it comes out sounding like “pregnant” to the local Spanish person you are trying to talk to. (If you speak Spanish you can easily understand the mistake I made here.) Oftentimes it’s like so much gets lost in translation.

It was Sabbath and as I stood in the bathroom getting ready for the day my mind told me I needed pants. I felt this urge to go to the shop where I would normally buy such things.

This is not a typical way for me to spend my time on my Sabbath.

So, while my husband was taking a nap I slipped away to the store.

Jr. High (or Middle School for those not born in the Midwest) is when it started.

I became conscious of my reputation and what happened when I opened my mouth.

My awareness of influence was growing because I noticed people would say things like,

“I wonder what Kaylene will say about that?”

Or

“I’m sure Kaylene will have an opinion.”

Now, I am not sure whether those comments were positive or negative. Given that most of them came from aunts, uncles, and older siblings, I wager they were not always positive.

My tendency to shoot off my mouth and offer my 12 year-old wisdom became my calling card. I had built a reputation.

I had 3 friends who were kind enough to handle it. Everyone else just stayed away.