Words

There are hurtful and harsh words that can reduce a person to tears, or scar a person for life. There are kind and gentle words that soothe, heal and are uplifting. Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

Be careful with what you say. Choose your words carefully. You might have lashed out in a moment of anger, or thoughtlessness, but the scar is deep and the words can still hurt after a long time. It is better to bite your tongue and swallow the words, than trying to ask for forgiveness after that. We know once the words are uttered, there is no way to recall them, no matter how sorry we are.

Listen carefully to what people are saying. Pay attention to their words. Many a true word is spoken in jest. Sometimes, people accidentally say what they mean. Sometimes, you can ‘hear’ what they are trying to say, but can't. And sometimes you 'hear' what they are not saying.

Good words are worth much, and cost little. Consider carefully before you say a hard word to a man, but never let a chance to say a good one go by. It has been said that kind words are like music of the world, and one kind word can warm three winter months. If you get the right words in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.

Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; and thanks to words, we have often sunk to the level of the demons. - Aldous Huxley

An honest, kind word spoken in love lifts the spirit and refreshes the soul. A kind word not spoken leaves an empty hole. - Unknown

Look out how you talk about others for these words, empty and arrogant, hit back at you even harder than they may hit them. - Unknown

Some words are like rays of sunshine, others like barbed arrows or the bite of a serpent. And if hard words cut so deep, how much pleasure can kind ones give? - Sir John Lubbock

For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We should be careful indeed what we say. - Confucius

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill. - The Buddha

There is always time to add a word, never to withdraw one. - Baltasar Gracian

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good. - Lao Tzu

Kind words are a creative force, a power that concurs in the building up of all that is good, and energy that showers blessings upon the world. - Lawrence G. Lovasik

No man means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous. - Henry Adams