Most of us heard the old adage, "Elephants never forget." What about people?
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about words and the immense power that they possess. In my 42 years on this Earth, I have definitely said things that I regret and wish I could take back. That's the real problem with words though, they almost seem to be permanent. We, as human beings, have a hard time remembering why we walked into the kitchen, but we never forget an unkind word spoken to us in grade school.
In fact, not only do these words leave scars, they ten to be the basis of our self-image and self-worth. For example, when I was in high school, I had a boyfriend break up with me because his friend said I wasn't pretty. To this day, I battle image issues, even though I cognitively know that it doesn't really matter. And someday, I literally hear his words still reverberate in my brain nearly 30 years later.
Conversely, I will ruminate on things I have said in anger that I can never ever take back. I worry that those people who have been exposed to my unkind words are haunted by them, just as I am haunted by unkind words spoken to me. If you are reading this and have been the recipient of my unkind words, please know how sorry I am. I have so many things in my life that I wish I could take back and try every day to be a better, kinder version of myself.
The point of this is to realize how much weight our words carry. We have the power to build up and even save lives. We also possess the power to destroy. My wish for everyone reading this is to simply be aware of the words you are choosing. Do your words strengthen or provide hope? When you are angry, do you count to ten and respond in ways that won't have permanent ramifications?
You never know who is absorbing your words and their consequences. Choose them carefully and choose them with love and kindness in your heart.
This is so true! While I was reading this what came to my mind was the words we use when we speak to ourselves. How much of those words are reflective of words other's spoke to us or how others made us feel? Something to ponder is how easy it is to be sorry for words we have spoken to others but when it comes to ourselves we often do not realize the way we hurt our own feelings. I think that is why it is important to be in the word of God ;To see ourselves and others through His eyes will put in perspective the masterpiece he has created in us and others.