“Say What?”
“I know how energy works, you know, and words are so powerful.”
“Lejem” ~ Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
Quote Source: Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes - BET Nightly News with Jacque Reid (brown clowns 1309) (Youtube published date 4/26/02)
(Specifically speaking about her messaging in her music)
Stock photo source: juicy scoop.blogspot.com
Have you ever blurted out something and then immediately after wished you had never said it? Maybe there was a time when you were glad that you spoke up and said something to someone that you may have at first been hesitant to express, or maybe there was a time when you missed an opportunity to tell someone something that may have been necessary to say. In my family we don't leave or say goodbye to one another without saying "I love you". A few years back I ran into one of my favorite aunts while out and about running errands. We stopped and chatted for a few and upon leaving we gave each other a quick hug and said "I love you”. A few weeks later, out of nowhere, she got very sick and passed away. Although her passing was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to deal with, I found comfort in knowing that not only were our last words "I love you" but also that when we told each other we really truly meant it. As heartbroken as I was, I was at peace with the fact that she absolutely knew how much l cared for her as well as how much she meant to me.
Most times in our lives we speak freely without thinking about the consequences, whether good or bad, that our words can have and the reality is that after they are spoken we can't take them back. When we truly realize the power that words hold we will then understand how important it is to be mindful of what we choose to say as well as how we choose to say it. In Proverbs 18:21 it states that life and death are in the power of the tongue. It also states that those who love to talk will eat what it produces. Basically this means that we can either choose to use our words to uplift or breakdown ourselves and others. It also means that what we say is also what we will have. Words connect to the spirit and what we feed our spirit will eventually manifest in our lives.
Think about it, how many times have we been involved in a conversation with someone and we’re joking around and someone responds with a “you so stupid" comment? Although it was just said in jest, it was still said and will never add anything edifying to someone's being. We have the daily opportunity to plant good or bad seeds in the lives of others based off of what we say to them and although cliche, it's a good idea to say what we mean and to mean what we say. With that being said, we should attempt to change first our way of thinking about words and make an effort to train ourselves to express ourselves in a productive manner. Remember your word is your bond and we are held accountable for what we say so being reckless with words can be irresponsible and cruel.
At the end of the day, we all have the tendency of being a little careless with our word choice but the key is to make a conscious decision to think twice before we speak and ask ourselves if we are being harmful or helpful with what we say. Let’s always choose to take the opportunity to be kind with our words and choose to use our tongue to encourage and inspire, even in the hard conversations that are necessary to have at times. "A careless word may kindle strife, a cruel word may wreck a life, a timely word may lesson stress, a loving word may heal and bless."- Unknown.