I know it's cliche' to start off with a dictionary definition of "words", but I feel it is needed for my long rant of the month. Dictionary.com defines word as:
word
[wurd] Show IPA
noun
1.
a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning. Words are composed of one or more morphemes and are either the smallest units susceptible of independent use or consist of two or three such units combined under certain linking conditions, as with the loss of primary accent that distinguishes black·bird· from black· bird·. Words are usually separated by spaces in writing, and are distinguished phonologically, as by accent, in many languages.
So, words have great meaning. We often don't think before we speak, but the written and spoken languages are very powerful. I have been thinking tons lately about what words mean to me. And how often as humans we aren't thinking before we speak, or in modern world we don't think before we send out a text that could possibly offend our friend, and then wonder why they don't respond to us. This leads me also to talk about unspoken or unwritten words. Our actions are words as well.
First let's talk about Spoken words. How do we talk to people on a daily basis? Do we use our LARGE vocabulary and think through our words carefully, and use synonyms to guide us to sound more intelligent? Or do we decide to get upset and just say the most demeaning and condescending words we can think of. Being LDS and also from Louisiana I find joy in learning other languages. My passion language to learn outside of English is French, and I am amazed over and over again that the words are special! They each have a meaning that is just beyond divine. Spoken words in any language can be used to hurt or heal. And more often than we should we use them to hurt rather than to heal.
Now, let's talk about written words. These words I speak now are all written, but I hear them in my head so to me they are also spoken. I think we often forget that about people. Working at Sylvan Learning Center has taught me the power of all different types of people. Some people can imagine pictures as they see words, or some have to do what the words say and live by them. Or others (like myself) hear the words as they type or read them, and can hear the person saying them in a certain tone. Many times it's again either a hurt or healing tone. Also, written words these days are in technology everywhere. Text messages, emails, blogs, facebook, twitter, and any where you have a "virtual" reaction with another human being. In some ways (my opinion) written words can be more powerful than those spoken because we often don't sensor ourselves when writing as we would if we were to vocally say something. If there are some like me our mind can go faster and faster and as our fingers may be able to keep up with it at times our mouths cannot. When we read books it's the written words that are speaking to us. Even if we are more auditory we may think of the words speaking in a spoken manner.
Now, our actions. From personal experience I think our ACTIONS are the LOUDEST of WORDS. Think about how often we give someone the "shaft" without even realizing what we are doing, or say we notice a guy or a girl who we like and we show them through our actions. Or even better we haven't fully picked up on hints that someone else has been dropping for months and all of a sudden that person who is to be a wonderful friend automatically doesn't want to speak to us. We often as humans don't realize how we act around others can often hurt or heal. A friend challenged me to notice my actions in a way. To learn to sit extremely open. He taught me about chakras and how each chakra is important. He taught me how to speak with my body, and not offend others by closing off around them. This has taught me why Actions truly are words.
All this makes me think about a famous saying that I have always heard, but in my opinion is wrong. "Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The truth is words can hurt more than sticks and stones. Broken bones can heal, but what hurtful words can do to harm the soul is ten times worse. It can take a person days, weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime to overcome the hurtful words that were once said to them.
All of this brings me down to my desperate story that is driving me lately. Especially after this last week and the realizations I had. Do we truly mean what we say all the time? I have always been afraid to put what has happened to me out there for all the public to read because then it is real. However, now that I understand it all so much more I am realizing that it all comes down to words, and it's the unspoken words that were never said that should have been. The words were "I love you." I have been letting people know that I did not lose my best friend to death, but instead to life. I had my greatest fear come true and I locked myself up afterward. I began to not care about any words except the words I constantly said to myself about how I wasn't worth it, or there was nothing I could do. However, now I know that even if I never get the chance to speak those words to the people that need to hear them. I know how I feel, and it's not hate or anger, but LOVE!
Love is the greatest of all words, and the most powerful. The Savior loved us enough to die for each of us. We know this thanks to the scriptures... we read and hear spoken words for the action and feel the unspoken word.
I know all this may be hard to comprehend cause it is a tad rambled of my tired mind, but I love words and the meanings they have.
Now, please before you DO or SAY anything think about the words you put out there. And think if I say this will I hurt or heal. Please say you will heal. This is what I try for daily, and I know that in due time I will be able to tell the people I want to that my words were never truly said.
No comments:
Post a Comment