Too many times we forget that we have power, and sometimes that power is found in our words. Either spoke words or those we write. Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author who has written and published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of nonfiction, nine collections of short fiction, eight children’s books, two graphic novels, and a number of small press editions of both poetry and fiction. She did not attend school full time until she was twelve…and yet in 1961, when she was twenty-one, she found her words and began a writing career. Her words have changed our lives and given us power we never knew existed.
For some of us words come easily, and for others there needs to be a great deal of thought completed before our ideas are expressed in words. For the former, people might tell them to think longer before they write or speak instead of just blurting things out. And for the latter, some people would tell them to stop pondering so long and just get the words out. Either way, the point is to find your words and reveal them. Ignite the power you have to express, change and improve anything….use your words.
Now I get it, the words you utilize may change (and should change) with your audience. You wouldn’t speak to your boss in a meeting with the same tone or inflection as you would your child when teaching them to look both ways before crossing the street. You would not speak to a close friend about a topic the same way you do to a stranger on the bus. And not all locations are conducive to all conversations. The places, people and words we utilize change all the time. Wisdom comes in knowing what words to use when and with whom.
So when do you best employ your words, your wisdom? THAT is the question. We all have options, yet our opinions are not always welcome. We all have ideas, thoughts, improvements and even critiques, which again are not always welcome. By voicing our words we take the risk of growing and/or offending our audience. Maybe it is time for that audience to be offended to get them to think? Or maybe this is not the place to share and offend? What if we took a page from Margaret Atwood’s playbook and wrote our words down and let the place and time be determined by our audience? Reading allows people to mull over the words and let them absorb at the rate in which they are comfortable. One special note…a phrase I learned long ago, “Say it forget it, write it regret it.” The written word can live in eternity…so be certain before penning that sharp jab as it will haunt you forever.
Let me encourage you today to use your words and use them wisely. We all can think of someone who has encouraged or praised us and how their words still have the power to boost our soul. The reverse is also true. We are all haunted by something someone said that nibbles away at our psyche during our low days. Employ wisdom and use your words wisely…for they indeed do carry a great deal of power!
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