The Power of Words

In her poem, When Silence is Beyond Words, Ouida states:

There may be moments in friendship, as in love, when silence is beyond words. The faults of our friend may be clear to us, but it is well to seem to shut our eyes to them. Friendship is usually treated by the majority of people as a thing that will survive all manner of bad treatment. But this is an exceedingly great and foolish error; it may die in an hour of a single unwise word; its conditions of existence are that it should be dealt with delicately and tenderly, being as it is a sensible plant and not a roadside thistle. We must not expect our friend to be above humanity.

Her message is paramount, yet many are oblivious to the powerful impact of words. Caustic words spoken (or received) tainted with sarcasm, irritation, anger or frustration, do carry an emotional punch. Words create impressions, images and expectations. They build psychological connections. They influence how we think. Since thoughts determine actions, there's a powerful connection between the words we use and the results we get.

"Think before you speak," is a colloquialism common to many, practiced by few. The consequence of a misspoken word scars far deeper than physical affliction ... the pain lingers and haunts.

Well chosen words offer hope, impact thinking and alter results. In fact, you might be surprised how much it does.