Judgey Pudgey. That's what he called me. The year was 1996 and I was in Mr. Jones's Social Studies room participating in a mock trial. I was the judge. One of my classmates started saying, "Here comes Judgey Pudgey," when I would walk down the hallway.
In terms of terrible taunts, that registers pretty low on the seismograph. But I remember it. And I remember how it made me feel.
I've been thinking lately about the power of words. It's simply not true that sticks & stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you. They can break your spirit, demoralize you and even steal your dreams. Not only that, but they do literally hurt you. A recent report in Psychology Today reveals the actual physical effects that bullying and hurtful words have on the brain.
The good news, however, is that as destructive as words can be, the opposite is also true. The right word said at the right time can build you up, encourage or inspire you.
Nothing brings this more to my attention than when I'm hanging out with my husband's family. My in-laws and extended in-law family are excellent at encouraging, praising, thanking, showing appreciation; you know, living in the good word world. The result is that after spending some time with them, I feel renewed, invigorated, and a new sense of strength.
They are better than a full night's sleep.
With enough of those types of words, the hurtful words lose some of their power.
1 comment:
Good thoughts, Holly. As a high school teacher, I see words slung through the room without any thought to how it makes the other person feel. I always tell my students, "This is a room of love. If you can't say something nice, then don't say it at all." I remember something mean someone said to me about 15 years ago. It will always stick with me, so your post is a good reminder to say nice things.
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