As we grow older we hope to also grow more mature. I was recently part of a texting conversation that my teenage self would have said things off the cuff, probably used some colorful language, and the conversation may have ended with hightened blood pressures and attitudes. Instead, I took some time to suck in the words, consulted a friend, and really thought of my words. When I responded, I was proud of my word choice and my response. I couldn’t control that person’s initial message but I controlled how I responded to it. In a day and age with social media and texting, it is sometimes easier to do in comparison to real life face-to-face conversations. Sometimes we are so quick to react instead of think of HOW we react and what effect it may have. I’m in no way saying that I am perfect or doing this for every response, but we as a people should remember to take a minute or even 30 seconds sometimes to just take a breath and think instead of jumping to respond. Imagine what a difference it would have on your day and you relationship with others.