Toothpaste

A teacher once handed a student a tube of toothpaste and said, "Squeeze it all out." The student did. Then the teacher handed over a toothpick and said, "Now put it back." The student laughed. It was impossible. "That," said the teacher, "is what words are like. Once they are out, you can't put them back."

A Scout is Kind. Kindness lives in our hands, but it also lives in our mouths. A cruel word can stay with someone for years. A kind word can too. We get to choose which kind of words we squeeze out every day.

This week, before you say something about someone, ask yourself three questions. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it needed? If the answer to any of them is no, keep it in the tube.