Be Careful

Jon received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude. The words out of the bird’s mouth were rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity.

Jon tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

Jon was fed up. He yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. Jon shook the parrot and the parrot got even angrier and more rude.

Finally, Jon in desperation, threw up his hands, grabbed the belligerent bird and put him in the freezer.

For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then, suddenly there was total quiet, not a peep was heard.

Fearing that he had hurt the parrot, Jon quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto Jon's outstretched arm and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I am sincerely remorseful for any inappropriate transgressions. I fully intend to do everything I can do to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

Jon was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. He was about to ask the parrot why he had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, but the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

It’s true, isn’t it? That your mouth can get you in all kinds of trouble, take you places you don’t want to go, and make you think horrible things that might not even be true. Be careful.