ARE THERE CERTAIN WORDS or phrases that bother you? I mean big time irritate you to the point that you want to shout, DO NOT SAY (WRITE) THOSE WORDS TO ME!
Here are the top phrases/words I would like to ban:
My husband once advised me to “Buck up!” when I was gasping for air while in the middle of a major asthmatic type attack. I was ill at the time, severely ill, with whooping cough. Rather than suggesting I “Buck up!”, he probably should have been dialing 911. (In his defense, neither of us fully realized the seriousness of the situation.)
Why do I dislike those two words? In my particular instance, no amount of bucking up would solve my medical emergency. This was out of my control. Telling someone to “Buck up!” minimizes their situation/issue/problem. Rather than suggest someone toughen up, how about offering help and/or a solution? Or simply listen.
How can everything in life be awesome? It is the most overused trendy word. That’s awesome. That’s awesome. That’s awesome. Really?
Rather than apply the worn-out word awesome, which has lost all meaning because of its repetitive use, tell me precisely why something is awesome. Is something awesome because it’s an incredible accomplishment? Is something awesome because it pleases you and solves a problem? Is something awesome because it’s uniquely creative? Use specific words that hold meaning.
I’ve heard these five words spoken in trying situations. These are not words anyone facing or managing a crisis or challenge needs to hear. Why? This dismissive phrase only makes a person feel worse.
Instead, validate an individual’s feelings and then offer support, comfort, encouragement and/or assistance. No one needs to be reminded that a situation is bad; that’s already a known.
Now it’s your turn. Tell me what words/phrases bug you. Or, if you wish, defend usage of the words/phrases I dislike.
© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Observations from a southern Minnesota protest line April 6, 2026
Tags: bullying, commentary, disturbing behavior, Easter message, Faribault, language, Minnesota, opinion, peace, Pope Leo XIV, protest, protesting, words
STANDING ON THE PROTEST LINE in Faribault nearly every Saturday morning for three months, I’ve felt uplifted and loved by other protesters. And I’ve felt tremendous support, too, from the majority of passing motorists who wave, give us the thumbs up and honk their horns.
But I’ve also witnessed outrage, raging anger, dangerous behavior and hostility directed at those of us who are peacefully protesting against the current regime, etc., in this country. Everyone, under the First Amendment, is entitled to their opinion. It’s OK to disagree with us. But, the level of animosity I see and hear is truly disheartening.
BULLYING BEHAVIOR
We, as protesters, expect some negativity to be directed at us. But when it becomes dangerous, such as guys in mammoth pick-up trucks driving dangerously close at a high rate of speed and rolling coal, that crosses the line. We all understand that they are trying to intimidate us, to silence our voices. It’s a tactic that comes down from the top. Bullying is as old as time itself. We won’t be bullied into silence.
DISTURBING BEHAVIOR
That brings me to one particular driver whose behavior on Saturday had two of my new protest friends and me asking, “Did you see that?” That was a dad who had rolled down his window to give us the middle finger and shout profanities at us, with his young child strapped in a car seat behind him. This proved the most disturbing behavior I’ve witnessed while protesting. Children mimic what they see and hear. And this dad was teaching his child hatred and disrespect toward others.
UNSUITABLE WORDS
That brings me to the president’s profanity-laced social media post on Easter Sunday. I won’t type his warning to Iran about the Strait of Hormuz because his message is not suited for a general audience. But suffice to say that his language is unsuitable for the office he holds. I often wonder how anyone can be OK with what he writes, says and does.
WORDS OF PEACE
Then there’s Pope Leo XIV, who delivered a message of peace on Easter, as one would expect of a world faith leader. “Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace,” the pontiff said. Amen to that. I am thankful for leaders like him who stand publicly strong for what is right and good and moral. Now if only Pope Leo could have a one-on-one with the president or that dad driving past our protest line, flipping the bird and shouting profanities at us as his child watched and listened.
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FYI: I encourage you to click here and read a recent article published in The Daily Yonder about No Kings Day 3 protests in three southern Minnesota communities, including Faribault. The well-written story offers insights into protesting and opinions in rural America.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling