Wield Your Weapons Wisely

"Let's go somewhere else. This place is terrible." 

I've heard that. Most of us probably have. I think most of us have probably said it, too. 

I heard it recently, and it bothered me. It bothered me because someone said it about the place where I work. They're entitled to their opinions, of course. I've heard many more in the opposite direction, so it's not necessarily indicative of the business itself, or of my coworkers or me. 

But it brought an interesting subject to mind that should probably be more important to all of us. 

Words. 

Those sentences I heard weren't gossip. But the aggravating nature of them reminded me of the damage gossip can do. The pain and rumors it can cause, and the fact that it's nothing more than words. 

Words can ruin a reputation, even if they aren't true. Words can harm. They can, and have, been used as a weapon. 

Many people have forgotten what words are, and what they are for. 

Words are tools. And, like any tool, they can be misused to such an extent that it can be considered criminal. 

Words are like martial arts, and martial arts are beneficial in many ways. They can be used to defend. If you're attacked in the street, you can fight to protect yourself and escape relatively unharmed. Practicing them improves your health, and being a practitioner for long periods of time also increases confidence. 

But. Martial arts can be misused. The techniques taught are dangerous to another person, and can be used to take a life. If the practitioner is irresponsible or immature, someone can be harmed. You can even hurt yourself if something is taught or practiced improperly. 

Martial arts are a lot like words. 

Words are beneficial in many ways. They bring us closer to our fellows by allowing us to express thoughts, emotions, opinions. You can stop a physical fight with words, just as you can with physical action. Being able to speak can be therapeutic. 

But words can be used irresponsibly as well. If you speak without thinking, you can harm just as surely as you can by punching without making sure the way is clear. Using them when the situation doesn't call for it is just as damaging as a kick to the face. Perhaps even more so; everyone knows how to treat a bruise or a bloody nose, but when it comes to emotional damage, it's harder. Not only is it not immediately obvious, but everyone is different, and the same things don't affect us all equally. 

Like a punch or kick, words are tools with specific uses. Like a punch or kick, they can be used improperly. 

Years of difficult and specialized training are utilized to prepare a martial artist for the responsibility such knowledge and power requires. Should we not use the same principles in teaching children to speak? 

Should we not train them to speak only when something positive will come from it? And should we not teach them by training ourselves? 

Wield your weapons wisely. You never know who you may be hurting.