Words

A week or two ago I posted a video about words and I have had it on my mind ever since.  For those of you who didn't see it, it showed a blind man sitting in a square with a sign, "I'm blind, please help."  Many people passed and a few dropped a coin, but most avoided him.  Finally a lady came by, walked on and then returned.  She took his sign and wrote something else on it.  He felt her shoes while she wrote.  All of a sudden almost everyone that passed dropped a coin.  Finally the lady came back.  He felt her shoes in recognition and asked, what did you put on the sign?"  Her reply was that she said about the same thing he did, just used different words.  Then the sign became visible.  On it were written the words, "It's a beautiful day and I can't see it."

It made me think of the impact our words have on everyone we come in contact with.  I remember the old saw, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  This is so not true.  Psychologists in today's society have found that children who have constantly been told they were dumb or stupid usually end up believing that about themselves.  Or the child who is taunted on the playground as fat, or ugly or a wimp is really hurt by such words.  The sad thing is that sometime just one cruel word may effect some one's whole life. Even if it is said in jest, it may hurt.  Perhaps we should choose our words more carefully.

And then there is the big "F" word.  I have noticed that  more and more people seem to be using it, particularly younger folks.  I think it is so sad that something God made beautiful and sacred should be brought down to the level of filth and nastiness.  What a shame that one has such a limited vocabulary that they have to reach down in the gutter to find a word. 

Enough said.  If you are interested in words there are dozens of articles on the Internet.  One very interesting one is an article by Richard F. Taflinger on how words are used in Advertising to take advantage of us.  Stephanie Resenbloom writes some interesting facts on the power of words in the real estate market.

We need to be aware that people can use words to make us believe just what they want us to, so pay attention when you are encouraged to buy a product, vote for a certain person, or even, heaven forbid, to marry them (perhaps all for the wrong reason.)  After that statement, I  think it is time for me to close.

Until next time,
Be Kind to One Another