Words. We use words to form language and
to communicate. The idea seems simple enough in that it’s a tool to navigate
through life and relationships. When thinking a little more deeply about where
words come from and how the meanings they hold originated, a new appreciation
for them can develop. Take the word sandwich
for example. It is noted that John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
would slap slices of meat in between two slices of bread while sitting at the
gambling table. Although this may be an interpretation of the actual
circumstances leading up to the naming of a sandwich, it does make for an
interesting story. How we adopt, use and integrate words into our culture is a
fascinating study. How the advancing of technology has created new words for us
to communicate with one another reveals the unending evolution of their usage
(e.g. Lemme Google that).
The origin of:
Sticks
and stones may break my bones
But words will never harm me
is
reported to stem from an English language children’s rhyme. It also has some
reported associations with religious publications as an old adage. When
reflecting on my own childhood, the saying was often lobbed across the blacktop
on the playground to ward off the bullying sort. It is understood that one
intention of the saying is to let someone know that if they impose physical
harm to you it will indeed hurt, but that the slinging of their words will
somehow magically bounce off and reverberate into the universe. When reflecting
on the saying as an adult I think the latter part of this saying could not be
farther from the truth.
Words that are heard as a child from
schoolmates and from the adults in a household can be vexatious and
far-reaching into the depths of psychological health. It is not only the words
that are slung from the mouths of others that matter. It is also their
intention and their subtext, which can permeate into the illusive fibers of our
souls and live with us in our hearts. How those words land on us as children can
set the stage for how we see ourselves as adults. It is one of the quietest
whispers of our inner voices, where currents of sound resonate in our bones. We
may remember any particular segment of verbal abuse as it bubbles up from the
sub-conscious and find in less than-an-instant how it colors our spontaneous
thoughts with attacks on our own sense of worth.
What we do with these
instances of subtle invasions in a mindful way can determine how we process
hurtful words of others. Taking a moment to suspend any associated feelings
of powerlessness, lack of self-worth or urges to become defensive requires
courage. Taking the next moment to invite and focus on the kind words we have
found uttered from the mouths of others can work as a salve to emotional pain
as we walk forward in our own footsteps. Life can happen fast and words can fly
from our mouths instantaneously. Taking a moment to choose our words can make a
difference in the ripples that move the world.
