I love words and am awed by their power to stir my body, mind, and spirit. Sometimes, though, I feel smothered by the volume or bluster of words in the news, emails, blogs, social media accounts, and books that I encounter. My New Year’s intention is to be more selective about what I choose to listen to or read. For you, my readers, my New Year’s intention is to be as discerning as possible about what words I send to you. I’ll try to remember what Thomas Jefferson said: "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do." Or maybe of never using 1000 words when 700 will do.
I read a lot as a kid. When I asked my mom what a word meant, she always made me look it up in the dictionary. I was fascinated by the etymology of words—how a sound or combination of sounds came to have meaning. For a while when my kids were young, we learned one new word each day during our evening meal. I told them that if they would look up any new word they found in a book and write down the definition, I would give them cash for each definition. One daughter read A Wrinkle in Time when it was a bit too advanced for her—she ended up with hundreds of word definitions and learned the value of words with a big payoff.
It was only when I started writing, after retirement, that I came to fully appreciate the almost magical talent of skilled writers—wordsmiths. It’s as if they are composers using words to create a grand symphony that can arouse our souls, make us feel hopeful, inspired, or sad in the same way that music can. Profound quotes and well-expressed words stay in our memories like refrains of music we cherish.
Poets have the special gift of being able to pack deep meaning into short verses. One of my favorite poets is Kahil Gibran. Here is a relevant excerpt from The Prophet, a book that deeply stirs me though I have read it many times in the past. On talking:
“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;
And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.
And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered. For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly…”
The words we choose can heal or wound, soothe or agitate, create or destroy. During this challenging season of division and anger in our world, let each of us think very carefully about each and every word we say or write. Our word choice is our superpower for good if we also do these two things: learn to really listen, and take intentional steps to be mindful before expressing ourselves. Since I’ve long struggled to listen without becoming reactive, I’ve written about these topics.
Let each of us wield our superpower, one word at a time, to heal ourselves, each other, and our nation.
SUGGESTIONS:
1. Start a file or journal with your favorite quotes or mark them in the books you read. Look back at your selections and see how they affect you. Do you have favorites you can share with us? Maybe cherished bible verses or prayers…
2. Do you have any special words that you have written? I will share one prayer that I made up. Each morning I ask God to help me “stand up tall, smile, and listen” during the day. When I say this simple prayer, I pause, look up to the heavens, smile, take a deep breath—and feel renewed. Try it.
3. If you want to learn more about the power of listening, check out the Listen First Project at https://www.listenfirstproject.org/mission.
4. Read more about mindfulness in “10 Steps to Less Stress, More Serenity, Health, and God,” or in any of these resources.
5. Read about how the words you say can even change your brain.
I pray for each of you every day and wish you the best as we start a new year.
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my monthly blog or follow me on Facebook or Donna Chacko on Twitter. If my message helps you in any way, please consider sharing it with others.
Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, and programs at her church. She is the author of the award-winning book and Amazon best-seller Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021). You can read her full bio here.
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