WHISPERS AND BLESS THEIR HEARTS

According to comedian Brian Regan, "They didn't invent whispering for compliments."  If you've never seen any of his comedy takes on everyday things with his over the top facial expressions, look him up on YouTube.  Watching his bits on the Internet for the umpteenth time last week, I related to his statement about whispering.  Really there are only two reasons we whisper, ok maybe three - one, we are in an environment that dictates quiet (ie, library, church, a meeting, seminar, Aunt Margie's slide show, a movie theatre showing, during a symphony and when I was a child around my grandfather's table during the radio farm report).  Two, what we have to say is intended only for one person to hear as it would cause damage to anyone else who heard it.  And three, an extenuating medical condition.   I must admit that I have whispered in all those environments and for all three of those reasons.  Whispering though is usually not kind, nor positive or affirming to anyone.  If it were, we would say it out loud.  Haven't we all felt the whispers of someone around us at some point.  Maybe it fueled our insecurities or wounded us.  We though probably have whispered about someone - about their looks, abilities, character.  Which leads me to the phrase that sometimes is used after speaking ill of someone, "Bless their heart."  I love the air of condemnation, justification, and superiority that smacks about in that statement.  To bless is to give something good which is not held in most whispers or arrogantly laced "bless their hearts".