Although David Archuleta has won 4 Teen Choice Award Surfboards, this blog title “Wipe Out” is not a surfing reference. Instead it is about the eraser that David doesn’t need but we probably do.

John W Gardiner wrote:
“Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.”

Now what does that mean exactly? Perhaps it can be interpreted to mean, take care in your words and actions. At the end of any given day are there things we wish we could erase but can’t? In this time of instant tweets and texting we have even more opportunity to stick our foot into it big time. Thanks to 21st century technology we can mess up incredibly fast!

Every once in a while, David Archuleta, in his open endearing way, may be a wee bit too candid. But never candid in a hurtful way to anyone but himself. I am in awe of this young man who never says an unkind thing about anyone else. I don’t think it is even a struggle for him. His innate kindness is so deep and genuine the idea of being any other way never enters his mind. If life was the New York Times crossword puzzle, David could fill it in nicely in ink!

But for most of us this can be a daily temptation. At school or work or even with the families we love so much..we can wound with our words. Have you ever had one of those terrible moments when what you wrote or said about someone comes back to haunt you? Your heart races, your cheeks burn with embarrassment and regret…. you wish with all your heart that you could wipe it out forever with a giant eraser? My grandfather would warn us in Spanish about “sapos” ..toads that jump out of our mouths. The words said in anger or jealousy that should have never been said.

Try to picture David being verbally rude or sarcastic in line at the supermarket or while pumping gas for his car. Would he verbally attack the person in front of him who has 12 items not 10 in the express line? Would he lash out at the driver of the car that got to the gas pump before him? Would he send an e mail or Tweet that was negative about anyone? I don’t think so. Actually it is humorous to try and picture David acting this way…it would be so out of character.

So maybe we can count to 10 before hitting the send button or think a little before letting lots of ugly little sapos hop out of our mouths. Until we can invent a “Way Back Machine” that allows us to erase what we said or wrote..it might be a good idea to listen more and speak a little less. The Dalai Lama has commented on mistakes made:”When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.”

And an Unknown Author penned this very smart statement :”The kindest word in all the world is the unkind word, unsaid.”

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