"Words- so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them."
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
As a child, you learn the little rhyme "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me". But as you grow older, you realize that while they can't physically hurt you, they can hurt you emotionally, mentally, and/or spiritually. I find it amazing how a few simple words from another can bring me great joy and happiness- or they can bring me great pain. It all lies in the words you choose to use, how you say them, and the timing.
Books are a great example. With the right combination of words, anything's possible...
...you can weave a beautiful love story, or make a person feel like he/she is right there in the middle of a great adventure or drama...
...take a person back in time, or push them into the future...
...trigger a person to howl with laughter, or to bawl their eyes out...
...persuade someone to do/believe- or not to do/believe- what you want them to...
...help someone understand something better, or confuse them further (lol)...
The possiblities are endless...
It's yet another reminder that you never know how what you say may affect others...
5 comments:
Which is why speaking without thinking, the "oh! I didn't mean..." phenomenon, is dangerous. I didn't know the gun was loaded. On the other hand, the gospel is the Good News, a good word in the darkest night. Thanks for the thoughts!
"moon jester" ...what kind of crazy title is that?!? i wouldn't trust him/her/it at all!
Funny funny...that's okay, I'm used to being around crazy people, lol...not that I'm referring to any of my friends that read this, of course... :)
Of course you aren't because if you were you'd find yourself in such a quandry :-P
I like the post by the way. Words have amazing power. I've attempted to stay clear of the negative and focus more on the positive, that includes the company I keep. Preferring to be uplifted and laugh (not at but with people over funny situations or whatever) than to be burdened with gossip and sour thoughts/conversations.
no gossip and sour thoughts?!? maybe y'all want me to disappear then ;-)
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