Have you ever said something that makes you wish you could pull the words you used out of the air and stuff them back inside your mouth? Have you ever been at a loss for words at a time when you have so many raging inside of you? People rarely think about what they say or don't say these days. A general lack of couth has plagued our generation and made it more difficult to communicate. Yes, you can blame technology for separating us, but the truth is that we have grown lazy in our efforts to communicate effectively with one another. We often don't want to be bothered. We have put up walls to block out anything that we find offensive or not "politically correct." We have taken away the impact and power of words so that their meanings are fluid. One person may understand a word one way and another person a completely different way, depending on the intention behind the word itself. The majority of the meaning that we attempt to share with one another has become lost in translation. Words are dead, empty vessels that only come to life after we breathe meaning into them.
Often times we experience diarrhea of the mouth, but think of all the things we never say. How many times have you wanted to say something to someone and you just couldn't find the courage to speak up? Maybe you wanted to tell your mom how much you love and appreciate her? Perhaps you wanted to tell your professor how much you admire him and appreciate the hard work he puts in to educate you and help you succeed? Maybe you saw someone getting picked on, but couldn't find the strength to open your mouth and tell the bully to stop. We have grown careless with our words and rarely use them to their fullest potential. Words have been used to confess love, to comfort the sick, to ignite wars and to spread awareness. Yet, here we are traipsing around and saying a million things every day, but rarely speaking the truth. We have forgotten how to use the power of words for the greater good. We have clearly taken advantage of our ability to speak and express emotion. We have a social responsibility as human beings to use our words wisely. Think about it, how many senseless things do you say in a day? Meanwhile, Malala Yousfazi is using her words to combat sexism and terrorism. Kevin Hart is using his words to make the world laugh. On the other hand, there are plenty of people who have the platform to use their words to make a difference, yet they're on the news spreading propaganda and fear mongering. Celebrities, like Kim Kardashian, use their words to sell their brand. Songwriters, like Adele, sing their words to inspire lovers, express heartache and win Grammy's, of course.
There are a multitude of ways to give your words power and make a difference in someone else's life. Maybe you aren't Emma Watson and you don't have the chance to address the United Nations, but you do have an opportunity to affect the people around you with what you say. Practice using your words to express how you feel about the world around you with purpose. Always be strategic and honest about what you say. Savor your words during meaningful conversations or launch them like weapons to demand justice. The reality is that you only get to use so many words in a lifetime and life is short, so be sure to speak your truth.
