Fabulous Friday: Use Your Words
One of the earliest life lessons we learn is patently wrong. Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me. Puhleeze. If there's a bigger lie people teach children, I don't know it. I made a choice when I had my first child that I'd never try to pawn this bit of nonsense off on them.
As adults, we all know this little rhyme is wrong. Not the part about sticks and stones, but the part about words. Sure, words don't leave visible scars or wounds. The scars and damage done by words, however, are very real.
The opposite side of that coin, though, is that sticks and stones can't build me up. But words? Oh, words can do so much. They can encourage, build up, cause laughter and smiles, educate, edify ... so much good can come from words.
Less than fifteen minutes ago, I was so annoyed about something--someone's words--that I seriously feared for the safety of the next person I saw. I wanted nothing more than to walk up to someone--anyone--smack them right in the forehead, and say, "Don't be stupid." This is absurd, I know, because the next person I see will be one of my children, and since they're both still asleep, they've done nothing to warrant being smacked in the forehead. (Give it time, the day is young. Kidding.)
Then someone said something that completely changed my mood. Odds are good I'll kiss the next person I see. (Hopefully, that will still be one of my kids, and not, say the mailman or the guy at AutoZone.) This person said something about me to others. It was a quick, 5-word sentence, but it changed my mood, my day, my very heart. Those words changed what was turning into a crummy morning into a Fabulous Friday.
So today, find something good to say to someone. It's pretty simple, really. Tell your husband how much you appreciate the things he does as the leader of your family. Men, tell your wife that you realize the sacrifices she makes for the family every day and that you love her all the more for them. Tell your kids how much joy they bring to you. Tell a stranger you like her shoes, his tie, his car, whatever.
Use your words and make this a Fabulous Friday for someone else. It costs nothing, and better still, it's contagious.
As adults, we all know this little rhyme is wrong. Not the part about sticks and stones, but the part about words. Sure, words don't leave visible scars or wounds. The scars and damage done by words, however, are very real.
The opposite side of that coin, though, is that sticks and stones can't build me up. But words? Oh, words can do so much. They can encourage, build up, cause laughter and smiles, educate, edify ... so much good can come from words.
Less than fifteen minutes ago, I was so annoyed about something--someone's words--that I seriously feared for the safety of the next person I saw. I wanted nothing more than to walk up to someone--anyone--smack them right in the forehead, and say, "Don't be stupid." This is absurd, I know, because the next person I see will be one of my children, and since they're both still asleep, they've done nothing to warrant being smacked in the forehead. (Give it time, the day is young. Kidding.)
Then someone said something that completely changed my mood. Odds are good I'll kiss the next person I see. (Hopefully, that will still be one of my kids, and not, say the mailman or the guy at AutoZone.) This person said something about me to others. It was a quick, 5-word sentence, but it changed my mood, my day, my very heart. Those words changed what was turning into a crummy morning into a Fabulous Friday.
So today, find something good to say to someone. It's pretty simple, really. Tell your husband how much you appreciate the things he does as the leader of your family. Men, tell your wife that you realize the sacrifices she makes for the family every day and that you love her all the more for them. Tell your kids how much joy they bring to you. Tell a stranger you like her shoes, his tie, his car, whatever.
Use your words and make this a Fabulous Friday for someone else. It costs nothing, and better still, it's contagious.
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