So which part of no do you not understand?  Is it the N or the O?   This is a very sarcastic rhetorical question that I have often used when a person would continue to request the same thing over and over after I would have responded in the negative.

While some may find this question offensive, I do believe it is important to make your point of view or opinion very clear to your audience. Whenever we waver in our response or hiccup our way to a decision on something, the weight of that decision is decreased and perhaps becomes meaningless.

            Not too long ago a popular politician in The Bahamas would tell his followers that he says what he means and means what he says...  I have been accused of being mean at times for not wanting to share something with someone. After the person would have completed his/her judgmental tirade towards me, I would simply tell that person that the reason I did not offer to share what I had was because I did not want her to accept the offer.

If you do not want to really give someone something or do something for someone, just tell the person no. I truly believe you are being a faker and a liar if you offer something to someone when you really do not want him/her to have it.

For some reason, that is still very unclear to me, someone decided that it was proper etiquette to offer someone some of what you have. My belief is that if you walk into a room and find me eating I do not see why I must offer you some of my food.

Furthermore, if I am in the middle of doing something and cannot attend to your needs right at that moment, what is wrong with saying no, not now, perhaps later?   What I do think is quite dreadful is to respond to someone in the positive and then turn around a little while later and tell him no.

Many parents today bemoan the fact that their children do not listen. They cry out for help because their children are unorganized, unfocussed and behave inappropriately. When I hear these weary cries from parents I often wonder how clear they have been in the directives they have given their children over the years.  Moreover, I wonder how many times parents have said no and stuck to it.

I have seen first hand growing up how easy it is to turn an otherwise peaceful household into a war zone when parents are not firm and consistent with their children. Of course this kind of inconsistency is seen not only in the privacy of our homes, but also in the wider society.

Ministers of the gospel and politicians would blow their windpipes for days about issues that would bring them some air time on the local radio stations.   However, when those "sticky" topics present themselves they all begin to stutter.  

You will not get a clear yes or no from their lips. No, they will leave your head dizzy and your legs weak after they turn on the merry-go-round of excuses, false promises and exaggerated pontificating.

This week I challenge you to say what you truly want to say.   If you do not want to do something say no. If you really want to share your time and space with someone, by all means do it, but do it with sincerity. Let your children and those around you see you as a person who is real and doesn't do things or say things just to fit in or appease someone.

In case you need to be reminded, no is an interjection used to indicate a negative response in order to refuse, deny or disagree with something. The word yes is an affirmative response. No really does mean no and yes is spelled Y-E-S.   Will you be able to say either word with certainty this week?