Hoop

At the office, I chatted with a co-worker. Except for a singular moment, I remember nothing we talked about. I assume I talked about how tall something was. I mentioned its height. I pronounced it as “heighth,” ending with a th-sound. To me, it was the perfect companion to width. Width and “heighth.” She politely stopped me and asked me to repeat the word. I said it the same way, so she gently corrected me.

I was very embarrassed.

We had an adjustable basketball hoop at the top of our driveway. Our goal was only eight feet from the ground. The rim is set to ten feet from the ground in professional leagues, such as the NBA and WNBA. My parents headed to their car, and my dad teased one of my kids, “I don’t think that goal is regulation height.” While he was right about the hoop, he pronounced height just like I had. I noticed it but didn’t say anything. I remembered my embarrassed feelings and did not want to make him feel what I did.

When my friend corrected me, I was flushed with strong feelings. I incorrectly attached them to her and that moment. As I inspected what I felt, I was embarrassed because that was a word I’ve used a whole, stinkin’ lot. No one had ever corrected me. How many times must it have been?

At that moment, with my dad, I decided to be nice when I should have been kind. I sometimes confuse those experiences. Nice was not embarrassing him the way I thought I was. Kind would have made that the last time of his mistake. I should have been kind in that moment. Certainly, instead of letting him find out when he gets this. (Sorry, Pops.)

If I am aware of an issue and don’t correct it, am I ignoring something I could help with? Do I hide behind nice when I should be kind? Will I contribute to influencing a lasting change?

Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.

P.S. It is sherbet, not "sherbert."