Tact
When President Gerald Ford was in office, he was on one occasion
visited in the White House by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. When the Ford's
son, Jack, was dressing for a formal dinner with the queen and prince, he
couldn't find the studs for his shirt so he rushed into his father's bedroom to
see if he could borrow some.
He ran into the elevator with his shirt
unbuttoned and hanging out and his hair disheveled—too late to discover that
somebody else was already in the elevator. It was his parents with their guests,
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Mrs. Ford, feeling awkward,
introduced Jack to their distinguished visitors. Sensing Mrs. Ford's
embarrassment, the queen remarked sympathetically, "I have one just like that!"
Tact and kindness are great gifts to use every day. Indeed, "A word
fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."
No comments:
Post a Comment