Imagine two people standing in the kitchen in the middle of a heated argument. Grim red faces with a trace of spittle on the lip. One partner says to the other “…. We should stop arguing before we say a bunch of things we really mean ….” Oooff! Tricky, right!? We want out partners to tell us the truth. That’s their superpower. They will be honest with us when others aren’t. But our partners know us. They know all the raw wounded parts we carry from childhood. They know just where to place a salt crusted thumb and press down. The fact that what they say is true makes the barb all the more sharp. So, what to do? It would be best for one partner to say “I need a time out - right now…..” and walk away. Does that mean they won’t be sharing the bed that night? That someone is on the couch or in a hammock out in the back yard? Maybe. But better that, than adding another emotional scar that may take months (or years) to heal. Using your feet at the right moment is the best path to take.