This Saturday we, together with the youth, discussed how the words we speak can affect us and those around us. The participants not only listened but also, through practical exercises, realized that spoken words “cannot be taken back,” and that hurtful words said to another person can leave an “emotional wound” that “will not heal.”

Our words can either discourage or encourage others. Our harsh words can be compared to bullets. There are word-bullets — the ones we intentionally say to instantly “hurt” someone. There are word-poison — gossip that is deliberately spread to hurt someone. Such words affect a person slowly but deeply. There are also word-fire — words we may say unintentionally in moments of anger or conflict. They also hurt.

Words cannot be neutral. Our thoughts and our words influence our lives and our relationships. And for our lives to be harmonious and our relationships strong and trusting, we need to choose the right tools. These are our words and our behavior.

We need to realize the irreversibility of scars. It is like the mark left by a nail driven into a board — even if we pull it out, the mark remains. In the same way, our words leave scars in the hearts of others. Another important tool is our empathy, which should replace selfishness in our lives.

Therefore, we should always remember the rule of relationships — Do to others what you would want them to do to you. And also realize that life and death are in the power of our tongue.

Speak words that bring Life!