Words hold power
Sebastian Miguel
Mesa Legend
Words have the potential to produce positive or negative consequences. They have the ability to build a person up or tear them down. A spoken verse can be so powerful even to the extent of giving or taking a life. A judge or jury, by simply speaking a word, can cause a person to live or die. We see throughout history that a single sentence can rouse a crowd, influence individuals, or even move an entire nation.
Teachers advise students, weathermen issue tornado warnings, and mentors give hope to overwhelmed students; all of these are examples of how words save lives. They can bring peace, comfort, joy, laughter. Sometimes they bring anger, jealousy, and sorrow. We as human beings fish for compliments and we can receive a thousand compliments but all it takes is for one negative comment to outweigh all those compliments. When it comes down to it, it seems better to be on the positive side of the battlefield of words rather than the negative.
A dictionary over the head can hurt because of the number of words that are in it. We possess the ability to influence people with our words. We can either speak gently towards our neighbor or speak harshly at them and both will have a consequence. As obvious as that may seem, it can be difficult to apply common sense when our feelings get in the way of our rational response.
I have heard it said that the tongue weighs practically nothing but few are able to hold it. It is safe to say that once you say something, it is hard to take it back. Our words are like leaves that blow in the wind, they scatter here and there and it can be impossible to retrieve every single one. Those who are able to control their speech are in a sense slaves to their uncontrolled bad habits.
Not only can you ruin someone else’s life by your words but also you can ultimately destroy your own. Anyone who is not able to hold back from sharing negativity is someone who is walking into a fight. Our words can affect a person to the core in a way that could change their whole outlook on life. Emotions drive our words. They can offer hope or they can steal it. It is best that we think twice about what we say that could turn a person’s day to good or bad.
