A Riddle for you...

We hurt without moving,We poison without touching.We bear the truth and the lies;We are not to be judged by our size.What are we?The Internet has given rise to a strange sort of verbal bravado. Like drinker's courage, people say all sorts of things they would never be brave or cruel enough to say in person, prompting terms like trolls and haters. Even a minor comment or opinion can spark anger and hatred where it is not justified. This happened to me recently and I was surprised by how quickly a thread started on social media that was full of insults from people I have never met. Every time someone left another comment, my phone binged again and I repeatedly glanced at it, not knowing if it might be a message or text, until I finally deleted the topic, weary from the negativity. Like the flowering rose bush in my front yard that blooms beautifully, it is also covered with thorns. I have to be careful how I handle it. I can admire and smell it but am better not to touch it. I have learned to be more selective with even minor comments where open discussions are not monitored or mediated. Two groups I belong to on social media recently shut down for hate speech towards the admins who had posted quite neutral things that someone happened to disagree with and launched verbal attacks. One of those admins told me via private message that after a serious physical injury and an ailing parent in hospital, the activity on her site pushed her into an overwhelming depression.Be careful with the things you say. Once uttered, they can not be taken back. They can be beautiful or they can inflict harm. We've all said things we shouldn't have. If that situation is weighing on you, without rehashing it, offer an apology and move on.As you can imagine, the answer to the riddle iswords.Lorelei