Attending nursery at age 2, Gus was quiet and resolute. When he spoke, others listened. Big for his age, he was of the type who might well grow up to be a football lineman. His peers knew not to give him any guff.

One Sunday, he was in nursery sitting at a low table eating crackers, careful not to spill or make a mess. Across the table sat a little girl, vibrant, impulsive and well-liked. She and Gus weren't the best of friends. She had learned to stay out of his space. She was watching as the nursery leader walked down the table with a pitcher of water. She was thirsty.

"Would anyone like another drink of water?" the leader asked.

"I do," said the little girl, with her eyes riveted on the leader. In one quick motion, she picked up her short blue and white paper cup and swung it toward the water pitcher. She forgot to notice that it was still half full of water. And she forgot to notice that Gus' head was directly between her and the pitcher. The cup hit Gus squarely in the side of the head. Water splashed out, drenching his short blond hair, his ear and dribbling down his collar and front.

Genuine remorse showed across her face. "I'm sorry," she said meekly. "I didn't mean to."

Gus looked at her and saw the regret in her face. His angry expression softened. "It's all right," he said and waited patiently as an adult mopped his face and shirt.

At that moment, nursery workers were silently thankful to the little girl's parents for teaching her to say, "I'm sorry," and for Gus' parents for teaching him to be forgiving.

One could regard this moment as merely a brief window on life that looked not only on the present but reflected the near past. But suppose it could be a window into the future. Will these two youngsters and their peers continue to be kind to others in a world where the range of civility seems to be growing shorter? Will they grow up to be kind bloggers and patient motorists? Will they be mellow if they miss a flight, or if someone pulls in front of them on the freeway?

Or will this generation of tiny ones be influenced by a society where simple patience is often in short supply? In this society, with its newfound high tech forms of media, there seems to be a new license to blast away at will, especially anonymously. Certainly authors of angry comments on the Internet can't be as hateful as they sound. Can they?

Or are they more childish than children?

And a close relation to anonymous diatribes are those people who vent their anger at those who can least defend themselves: clerks, public figures, and smaller family members, particularly children.

If they but feel justified, their anger and harsh words can be particularly injurious. Satan is well-served by the angry, out-of-control person.

Does anonymity justify non-Christian behavior? While they might be anonymous on the Internet, no one is anonymous to God.

Angry words have a much longer shelf life than the emotions that motivated them. People might eventually forgive hurtful words, but their respect for a speaker of angry words is permanently abrogated. What we say does make a difference.

In the October 1994 general conference, President Howard W. Hunter, in his first address after being sustained as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emphasized: "First, I invite all members of the Church to live with ever more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the love and hope and compassion He displayed. I pray that we will treat each other with more kindness, more patience, more courtesy and forgiveness."

Especially in his final years, President Gordon B. Hinckley frequently urged everyone to be more patient and kind. In last October's general conference he said, "I plead with you to control your tempers, to put a smile upon your faces, which will erase anger; speak out with words of love and peace, appreciation, and respect. If you will do this, your lives will be without regret."

President Thomas S. Monson concluded his initial remarks as president of the Church with the words, "We desire to cultivate a spirit of kindness, of understanding, of love. We seek always to follow our Savior, who 'went about doing much good."'

Let us be kind and gentle and courteous. Let us care about others' feelings.