In today’s society people swear and use foul language constantly, even in everyday conversations. While swearing used to be reserved for banging your shin on a table or hammering your thumb, now expletives color most sentences that come out of peoples mouths. But what about other words? I can think of several words in the English language that really should no longer be used because they are foul. Today I want to take a few minutes to lay out one word in particular that has been on my mind a lot recently. And I hope that my thoughts bring new meaning to the word for you and that we will all be more cautious using it.

JUST

How is this a swear word? What makes it foul? Its not vulgar… or is it?

I recently left my job and I heard from several people not to be so stressed and upset because it is ‘just’ a job. I’ve used this word in many situations… Its ‘just’ a scratch. Don’t worry about it, it was ‘just’ (fill in your words here).

But I really got to thinking. The word ‘just’ is an awful word. It down plays situations, feeling and experiences that shouldn’t always be. What if a by mediaplayer” href=”#59977153″> single by mediaplayer” href=”#59977153″> mother lost her job and that job was the only thing keeping food in her children’s mouths? Its not JUST a job. A peanut butter sandwich isn’t JUST a sandwich to someone who hasn’t eaten in days. It’s not JUST a clump of tissue to the woman that has miscarried their child. A Doctor never says ‘It’s JUST cancer.’ Is it JUST a B- to a student who needs straight A’s to get a by mediaplayer” href=”#89107568″> scholarship by mediaplayer” href=”#89107568″> to college? No. Its a huge disappointment that should be recognized instead of down played and blown off. The word JUST is the newest and most foul four letter word. It causes people to feel that their hopes, dreams, feelings, thoughts and even lives are somehow less important or less significant. JUST is demeaning.

I ask that next time you are tempted to use the word JUST when speaking to someone, take a moment to think of how that one little word may cause harm rather than good. by mediaplayer” href=”#74044650″> Offer by mediaplayer” href=”#74044650″> true support to the person.

Don’t sweep their situation under a rug of JUST.