Beware of What You Say - It May Be Used Against You

Ages ago when my babies were young, my writing desk - aka office - was along one wall of the dining room. Always a disaster and rife with projects in process, my office was what I had. So I used it.

On the occasions that I had a looming deadline and was in desperate need of no interruptions, I had to finally resort to laying down the rules.

"My door is closed."

Funny. There was no door. Or wall. Or any other physical item that marked off the office. Just air.

But it worked. That invisible door, once my stressed voice was heard slamming it in their faces (honey was included in this), stood between many a sibling squabble, demand for food/rescue/mediation/first aid, ringing phones, and general household chaos.

Years later, the kids are grown and fledged, roosting in their own nest. And my office actually has a real, wooden door. And walls. And lots of office-y type stuff. Perfect for me. I can (really) easily shut out the world when in the midst of scrunching out words.

My poor honey. He does not have the same luxury.

His office is a corner of the living room. That's the room in which guests, grands, cats, family, and all sort of noise and interruptions descend with regularity. The television, kitchen, table, and all matter of other life inventions reside within eyesight of his desk.

Don't get me wrong. We love our interruptions.

But there are times when my man needs to work and focus. Alas, he has no door. That sounds familiar.

So today, with a looming service in a few hours, I heard my own words uttered against me.

"My door is closed."

Oh. So that's what they felt like way back when. I was shut out. No trotting in with a quick observation, offers of a cup of tea, handing in the mail . . . Though it doesn't stop me from taking a photograph through the invisible door.

It is true. Our very own words often come back to haunt us. What we say does impact others, good or bad. But that's ok. It means someone was listening.