Breaking the Plate

A man entered the church to see the priest. He held his head down in sorrow.

"What is wrong, my son?" asked the priest.

"Father, My words have wounded someone and I am so sorry. What can I do to make it up?"

The priest thought for a minute, because this man has used words to wound others before. What could he do to help the man use kinder gentler words?

"Today, my son, I want you to go to Farmer Smith and buy a chicken from him. Pluck the chicken's feathers and throw them to the wind. Then return to me tomorrow."

Looking confused but repentant, the man did as he was told. He purchased one of Smith's hens, plucked her down to the pin feathers, tossing the feathers into the wind. The wind swept up the feathers and off they flew.

He returned to the church the next day.

"Father, I am here and I did as you instructed."

"Today," ordered the priest, "You must go back out to the road, gather up the feathers and return them to the chicken."

"What!!!" exclaimed the man, "That will be impossible!"

"Yes, my son, you are right! The feathers cannot be put back. Our words are much like feathers, once thrown to the wind, can they ever be recovered?"