Imagine this scene. You and your child are minding your own business, when all of a sudden you hear someone make a racist comment. Confused, you pause for a second and think to yourself, “Did he really just say that?” In an instant that seems like an eternity, you emerge from the incredulous fog and find yourself angry; you’re angry the person would use such derogatory language, you’re angry you keep hearing stuff like this, you’re angry they’ve never been confronted about it before. Then, as quickly as the anger emerged, the mental scatteredness and disorientation begins. “What do I say? How do I respond? Should I just tell him he’s a jerk? Maybe he didn’t mean to be offensive.” All of these thoughts race through your mind as your opportunity to respond slips away. Inevitably, as you figure out the perfect response, the moment has passed and any kind of retort feels dreadfully out of place and super awkward.