The world won’t ever leave us alone…there’s always something.  However, we do have a choice about how to handle many situations in our lives—both big & small.  I recently had a conversation about the differences of REACTING or RESPONDING.  Those words stayed with me, so I dug a little bit deeper.

REACT—intransitive verb; to exert a reciprocal or counteracting force or influence

RESPOND—intransitive verb; to say something in return, make an answer 

After I read the definitions, saying those two words felt different to me.

Repond is gentler, a little more refined, with slightly more breathing room. 

Say it aloud with a sigh…respond.  

Perhaps that little sigh could slow a moment down a little bit.  I know that sometimes, for me, that could make all the difference…especially in this emotionally loaded season of college applications/essays with my twin daughters.