Bless Your Heart...the Northern Way

Having recently returned from a 5-day gal pal weekend away it appears my brain has STILL not arrived so I’ve been madly looking for something…anything that I have even remotely started writing to post. Let me just say in advance…I’m sorry. I had totally forgotten about starting this post (it’s been sitting in my draft folder for months) until I was reading a blog that I follow over at “Bubble Gum on My Shoe” (look over to the right sidebar under “Blogs I Follow”…see I do follow her) and it twigged my brain.   

Anyways, one of the things I’ve found that would, and still can, be difficult at times is trying to stay positive when I am feeling overwhelmed from all the information I am trying to absorb, especially when we were starting our adventure into Riley World. Then came school. After 5 or 6 years of trying to navigate the world of special needs within the school system, one might begin to get jaded or negative. I think it was around that time I started to acquire an appreciation for a really good, ice cold martini with a twist. Tee hee.     

One of the strategies FG (Fairy Godmother) and I used when we were feeling particularly cranky or frustrated was that if we were to preface any comment with “Bless his/her heart”, anything we said after that could not be perceived as malicious, negative or down right rude. When repeating said comment to anybody else, the translated version would be used at all times.  eg.  “Bless his/her heart…what a stupid idea” would translate to “Gee, at least they’re trying” or “Bless his/her heart…are you f*ing kidding me” would translate to “Wow…I would have never thought to try that.”  Get my drift??? 

While reading Cari's (I like to think we’re on a first name basis...well...actually it's just that I don't know her last name *wink*) post "Kiss My Grits and Bless Your Heart", I realized we weren't really using the saying as it was intended.  After all here was a real, live “southern belle of sorts” (her description not mine) who “was raised in the South, y’all” explaining the meaning and appropriate time to use the southern saying. I don't think FG and I ever quite mastered the “side tilt of the head and the little brow scrunch" either. *sigh* It did work wonders for my sanity and always made me look like I was in control even when I was ready to rip out my hair.  

Go ahead…give it a try, just make sure both parties are on the same page as to whether or not you will be using the intended meaning (last chance to link over to Cari's post) or an "adapted" version of the saying. Hey, at least we refrained from saying "Bless his/her heart eh?"  :)