Only Words?

by Silvia Uribe

Words are never only words. Words, although very common, are also like magic tools to communicate thoughts that have no color, no form, no smell, and transform these into something concrete, something that we can imagine, and almost touch.

We also use words to dress our feelings. Sometimes we dress them up with distinction and elegance, and other times with rather simple, everyday attire. Words allow us to reveal what’s in our heart, and by doing this, they assist us in understanding, and in bringing us close to one another.

Words are also like a double-edged sword. They can hurt when we are careless, but when used with tenderness, they work like unexpected healers. They can make us laugh or cry. They can surprise us or make us bored. They can open our mind to imagine great things, or they can make it very narrow. They are the golden key to open other people’s heart, inviting them to share their dreams, and their fears. Words are so powerful that even when unspoken, their mere absence may reveal what we’re trying to hide.

As with any other tool, we should be handling them with care, always taking responsibility for how we use them.

We shouldn’t make another person feel bad and then pretend that we were only joking. We should not lie, and try to make the other person responsible for not knowing the truth. By the same token, we should not give ill intended advice, or invite violence and declare, when violence erupts, that we were not its source.

Our words, then, should be used with care. Our family and our friends, as well as our acquaintances, just like any other person, deserve that we consider the way we use words particularly, when our racing emotions attempt to get the best of us. Although it may seem extremely difficult, it is in these situations when we should take greater control of our words, considering that once they come out of our mouth, their effect is irreversible. We can apologize, and we can be forgiven, but hurtful words will never be forgotten. In fact, words will stay in our minds as perpetual reminders of love or hate, happiness or pain, violence or peace.

Following this advice will bring immediate benefits to our everyday life. By extension, the words we choose along our journey, will determine whether we will end our days in the company of those whom we love, or in excruciating solitude.

The choice is ours.