The Pain our Words Can Cause

I starting reading a book several weeks ago, Nineteen Minutes. This book sparked something in me that I wish I could stand at the top of the world and shout out, "STOP BULLYING". This book goes into a mind of a person who lived with "torture of the tongue", and then acted out on it. Everyone has heard the quote, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me". Are you kidding? Words are the most destructive thing that we were ever blessed with. We have taken a great gift, the gift of word, and used it in the most hurtful, hateful ways we can image. As I have been reading this book, I can recall when I was a first grader being made fun of by a girl who was several years older than me. I could pick that girl out of a crowd even now, 40+ years later. If we can teach our children, whether they are ours or ones that pass through our lives, anything, we must teach them to be kind. To take the differences that each of us have and look at them as unique, a person to learn from, a friend, but for sure, a person with feelings. One of the character in the book says this, "Ask ten people, and half of them won't even be able to remember something concrete from high school-they've blocked it out. The other half will recall an incredibly painful or embarrassing moment. They stick like glue." Have you ever been the cause of the painful or embarrassing moment that will stick with someone forever? I'm sure I have, but you see, your not the one who remembers it, its the person you've said it to. The main character in this book is a young person who since his first day of school, had been tormented by other children leading up to a massive killing of his classmates. How many real situations like this have happened in this country? Too many in my opinion. In all of the cases of these needless acts of violence the person or persons involved were bullied or were outcasts. In the act of killings those who have bullied them, others usually get killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Folks we need to look at what we say, how we say it, and to whom we say it. Children listen, they listen to our racial, ethic, and gender comments. They repeat what they hear. Don't be the reason for a young person to load up a gun and kill because of words that have destroyed their self esteem. Next time you see or hear someone bullying another, step in and stop the process, you may be saving a life in the process. Teach those around you, and yourself, that words are a powerful thing, use them for good, not to hurt. This world will be better place if our words become something useful, any maybe the killing of life and of self esteem will stop.

Cup Half Empty or Half Full?

I believe that I have looked at life as being a cup that was half empty. I am hoping that I now look at life as being a cup half full. These past few years have been times that I was going to fall flat on my face, or push myself and believe that I would and do have the strength to keep going on. God has been my source of strength but I also know that I need to call upon myself to keep going on when it seemed that there is no reason to keep going. I have went through 6 surgeries in the past 5 years. I've seen a divorce, a lose of my parents, a lose of 2 homes, and enough sicknesses to last a life time. But in the view of the negatives, I have 4 daughters that have been and always will be my lifeline. Their health is good and each of them have a future that is bright and hopefully not full of any regrets. I guess I'm writing this because I feel that someone else out that may be going through the same or worse times that I have been through. My prayers are with you and I can only hope that you don't give up and just keep looking for that cup to be half full...

Stepping Up To The Plate

Do you have a conviction concerning something going on in your life, your town, or this world? Have you done anything about it, or do you look at this conviction and think "well someone else will deal with it, I can't do anything to make it better". I believe all of us have had this type of thought. I know I have. There are so many things going on right now in our lives, but yet how many of us really do anything about it? I know I'm guilty of doing nothing when I know I need to step up to the plate. I have always believed that if I could not financially help a cause I really could not help. I now know that is not true. Our words, our actions, our presents can do more good in some causes than any amount of money will ever do. Being kind to others with a smile or just a simple hello cannot be bought with any amount of money. Taking time to do things with our kids, spouse, parents or others in our families cannot be priced, just ask someone who has lost part or all of their loved ones. Look at the homeless, the orphaned, the widow, the elderly. Each of them would give anything, everything, to have back their loved ones. Step up to the bat the next time you see a situation that can be helped with a simple smile, a pleasant hello or just a hug. The problems of the world, your life, or your town may not go away because of that simple smile but I can tell you this for sure, it will make it look at lot more tolerable for everyone concerned including yourself.