How to Respond to an Act of Disrespect

Don’t add to the indignity of the situation

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Lutze, 1851 (Wikipedia - public domain)

“Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.” — Thomas Paine

Have you ever found yourself speechless?

Maybe you find yourself in a familiar situation and someone — most likely someone familiar or close to you — says something completely unexpected.

You’re left with a sense of unease, feeling as if you’ve been knocked off-balance. Your mind swirls, your heart beats quickly, and you struggle for words as you try to recover from this verbal blow.

It’s a lamentable scenario, as someone has put you on the spot. What’s the best way to respond in such a situation?

I was recently reading about just such an occurrence in the life of George Washington that illustrated this perfectly.