Words are powerful. They have the power to inspire, to bring joy, and to uplift. They have the power to bring calm, peace, and serenity. Unfortunately, words also have the power to incite anger, jealousy, and hatred. And words ultimately have the power to wound, damage, and cause pain.
There are times in life when we are all hurt by the words used against us. Intentionally or not, there will always be instances in which our feelings are going to be hurt by another person or group of people. It is one of the difficult aspects of what it means to be a human being. However, for those of us who have been the victims of harsh words, the pain very often can and does last a lifetime. All of us can undoubtedly vividly recall an experience from our childhood in which someone else’s words affected us to such a great degree that we are able to remember the smallest details as if it happened just yesterday. Perhaps this individual called us ugly or stupid, made fun of our clothing, or insulted our family, race, or religion. These are the moments that remain in our hearts and minds long after the incident itself fades into memory. The damage that is done to our self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth is sometimes irreparable.
Taking that a step further, there are some people who were hurt by words on a regular, consistent basis. Isolated occurrences can indeed have a deep impact on our psyches, but those who are victims of verbal abuse can be left with far greater damage and scars that do not heal. Children and adults alike who are relentlessly told that they are bad, dumb, unattractive, or incapable, among many other negative words, may begin to believe the lies about themselves that they are told. This, in turn, causes problems that often are so serious that psychological help may be necessary in order to assist those individuals in regaining true beliefs about themselves and eventually heal.
Words can be wonderful, yet they can also be destructive weapons when not used properly. The devastation that words can cause have repercussions that many of us fail to account for when we speak. Any person who has been hurt by words, whether once or innumerable times, realizes the power that words possess. It serves all of us well to use our words with care and thoughtful consideration at all times, in the interest of both ourselves and those around us.
