Most 10-year-olds would jump at the chance to say an expletive when something doesn’t go their way or when they’re talking about someone they don’t like. Around the same age, I made the decision to do the complete opposite.

I’ve never intentionally cussed in my life. Ever.

The first instance I remember deciding to never say a “bad” word was when I was really young and refused to say the r-word. My mom worked with Special Olympics for years and I had grown up going to practices and games with her. I befriended many people who would be ignored by others due to their disabilities. When I discovered the r-word was being used as a derogatory term, I was reminded of all the people I had met over the years through Special Olympics. It hurt and disappointed me to see other people use that word as an insult or even as a joke. Mental and intellectual disabilities are not a joke--people struggle with them every day. They suffer every day.

I pledged never to say the r-word, and to this day, I never have.

Curse words hurt others. It may not seem like it on the surface, but it can cause deep damage. While some people can easily take insults and throw them aside, many people cannot. In some extreme circumstances, being called one of these words over and over again can lead some to self-harm. For me personally, if I even as much as think of calling someone a cuss word, I feel terrible inside. I hate the way I feel when someone cusses at me because it feels like I’ve hurt them beyond repair. Hence, why I've made the personal decision to never make someone else feel the same way.

Even though I don’t like cussing, I’m not going to be the person to lecture you about how you shouldn’t cuss either. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, I ask you to seriously think about what you want to say to someone. You know the old saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." In reality, this statement isn't true. Because you never know how a simple word could affect another person.