Words can be simple or they can be complicated. The choice is always there and always yours. You've probably heard the old sayings 'choose your words carefully' and 'if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all'. I can't think of better advice. Words have the amazing ability to be anything. They can be heartfelt and supportive or they can be hurtful and mean-spirited. They can be comedic, witty and punny or they can be warm, endearing and inspiring.
Words can be singular and powerful like 'GO', 'STOP', 'YES', and 'NO'. Words can also become clear phrases when put together that tell us exactly what someone is thinking: 'I LOVE YOU', 'I'M HUNGRY', and when my kids were young ... 'BRUSH YOUR TEETH, IT'S TIME FOR BED'. I don't think a parent can be any clearer than that. Words can be very effective. They can used to form meaningful prayers that guide us when we are in need, the rhymes in a greeting card that make us smile, the lyrics in a song that warm our hearts, or create life-changing effects in a politician's speech.
I have a favorite website that I go to when I want to read words that are unique; words that make me think or make me laugh. The website is called the 'Quote Garden'. You can type in any category and you'll be blessed with a wide variety of quotes, some by people you've heard of and others that you haven't. The fascinating part isn't always 'who said what' but rather 'what was actually said'. Words have the keen ability to entertain us, but also to make us stop and think.
Here are a few quotes that caught my eye today.
You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him. ~ Leo Aikman
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. ~ Theodore Roosevelt
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. ~ Jimmy Johnson
Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. ~ Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I thought growing up was something that happened automatically as you got older. But it turns out it's something you have to choose to do. ~ From the television show Scrubs
What are my words for you today? Think of what you want to say to someone or what you want to write ... hear them in your mind first or read what you have written ... listen to or read the words carefully, be sure you are clear and that they are the right words. Remember that once you use them you can't always get them back. Make them count and use them wisely.
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