Words

Words. Letters on a page or noise coming from ones mouth. I feel that we often downplay the power of them. Words can start wars or create peace. Words can tear apart lives or be used to encourage someone. Words can be used to control or can be used to inspire. Words can kill or words can create life. I myself have been destroyed by words, and I have caused destruction with words. I have been inspired by words and I have inspired with words. In my opinion, words control the world. In a given day we are inundated with the power of words. Magazines and daily newspapers contain thousands of them. Social media is nothing but words. The radio, television, and books are built on words alone. I would venture to bet that 99% of our day is controlled by words. So what’s the point you ask? The point is this, how do words construct our daily lives? Are we someone that chooses to use words in a destructive manor? Or do we wake up every morning with the desire to use words that only encourage? In a recent study in Scientific American magazine, they took 200 females and males and studied how many words they speak, in the time they are awake, a day. They found that on average, humans speak close to 17,000 words per day. Now I personally don't think I say that many words a day, but I assure you that my three daughters make up for me. 17,000 words is a lot of words. 17,000 words to either destroy or encourage. Keep in mind that this study was only on how many words we speak, this does not include how many words we write on social media as well. In a speech on February 14, 1923, Rudyard Kipling said, "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." I find this quote fascinating if you really stop to think about it. So this is my challenge, choose a day this week where you say only things of encouragement to people and see how it affects not only you, but those around you. On the flip side, think of someone you may know, (and I think we all know someone) who always seems to be putting people down and doesn't have a kind word to say to anyone. How does it make you and others around you feel? How does that person affect the atmosphere in the place that they belong to? One of my favorite sayings is, "If you want to see the change, be the change." It is my opinion that this world would look a whole lot different if we changed the words we said and how we said them.