Bless Your Heart

I’m not terribly familiar with colloquialisms or slang from regions other than the south but I know that we have some good ones that make me proud to be southern. We eat our Sunday lunch at Mama-n-ems’ house and we are aware that fixin' in no way means we are going to solve your problem, rather it means that we are about to take action (I’m fixin to eat). Every good Southerner knows that he needed killin’ when presented as a defense at a murder trial causes the jury to nod their heads and understand that this incident in question, however unfortunate it may have been, was necessary.

There is, however, one expression that I cannot make my peace with. This is the ever-famous Bless Your Heart. To those that hail from above the Mason-Dixon line this phrase, at first glance, seems endearing. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling - until you hear how it is used. (For the record, Mark says that bless your heart is the Southern kiss of death). Try these examples:

“She just can’t stay away from the dessert table at the buffet, bless her heart”
“He is just not right in the noggin, bless his heart”
“If it weren’t for bad luck those poor folks would have no luck at all, bless their hearts”

We’re so busy blessin’ the hearts of others that we don’t take time to see their hurts or take a minute to help them. Merriam Webster says that a blessing is a thing conducive to happiness or welfare or approval and encouragement. Nothing about the southern bless your heart is encouraging. In my experience, this is our way of masking our insults while making ourselves feel better about what we just said.

God blesses us all of the time – He is good. Since I am not only a good southerner but I am His child, I have made a decision that I’m fixin’ to watch my words and make sure that the next bless your heart is sincere and offered with my Father’s love.

Y’all come back, hear?