The Power of Words...

Remember that old kid's rhyme that goes...sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me? As kids, we were supposed to shout that at whoever called us a terrible name to show them that it didn't and couldn't bother us. In the end, those mean names did bother us though, didn't they?

You know what? I think that little adage that we all grew up with is very, very wrong. I think that words can have more power than sticks and stones any old day. Physical wounds can heal over time, but a wound inflicted with words can last a lifetime. We all wield great power with words and so we should use this power wisely. Sadly too many people use their words carelessly.

There is a wonderful flip side to this coin and as much as words have the power to destroy someone they also have the power to enrich someone. We've all experienced times when a stranger unexpectedly smiled and said hello, and in that instant, with that simple gesture, they changed our day for the better. I bet we can all think of times when we were feeling low and a friend somehow knew just what to say to brighten our day. It could have been something silly or sweet, but it was said with kindness and affection.

So we don't have to say anything fancy or complicated to make a positive impact on another. I think our words only need be kind and genuine, and spoken with sincerity.

I'm thankful to all those people that have said kind words to me over the years. I remember, perhaps not consciously, but your kind words have had a lasting effect on me nonetheless. I hope that I've returned the favor in kind.

Let's not forget the power of words.