We’ve all heard the phrase.
In the South, “bless your heart” situations arise daily.
It’s aversatile Southern phrasewith a thousand meaningsand just as many possible responses.
Credit:H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images
Here’s how to respond accordingly.
H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images
What Does “Bless Your Heart” Mean?
Yes, it can be abackhanded commentabout foolish behavior, but it’s often a genuine expression of sympathy.
Don’t know how to respond?
Consider a few variables.
What prompted the “bless your heart?”
Need some extra tutoring in the subject?
A Whispered Bless His/Her Heart: Can You Believe It?
A “bless his/her heart” spoken in a whisper is often conspiratorial.
Instead, it’s repeated to a friend or neighbor.
A Sassy Bless Your Heart: What Were You Thinking?
Receiving this “bless your heart” is a Southern rite of passage.
(Unless, of course, you have a well-timed response teed up.
If soand if you have no fear of consequencesthen the choice is yours.)
If it’s directed at a neighbor, you just might choose to murmur your agreement.
The appropriate response to “bless my heart” is usually a sympathetic nod of the head.
If moved, you might also offer a validating or concerned “bless your heart” in return.
Just watch your tonein the world of “bless your hearts,” it’s a powerful thing.
