Finding the Words

We wake up every morning the same person regardless of the interactions that were made or the comments that were said the day before. We speak hundreds of words each day, but so many times we neglect to think about those words and the impact that they will have on a given individual. Whether good or bad, it is these words and comments that make up the relationships that are the very essence of our existence. Some are opinionated, others reserved. Some strive to be the center of everything and still others observe. Conversations provide us with information and knowledge to digest and act upon. Some do this alone, others prefer action in groups. There is a reason that we are all different with various preferences for human interactions and relationships. To each his own story, no two alike.

Often times I think about the idea of relationships being the basis for my life. I am who I am today because of the people that I interact with on a daily basis. My confidence comes from those people who kindly spread words of encouragement, and my opportunities come in those people who challenge me by saying harsh comments or critical words. When we live with intention, and interact with others in a way that questions one another’s beliefs and values, together we form a community and together we grow. Through relationships we uncover secrets that we may never have known existed. We learn things about our own habits and quirky personalities. We discover that our talents and specialties are unique from one another and we can contribute to the world with new perspectives. It is living with intention that I often find to be the most difficult challenge. To a certain degree, we are all aware of the words that we say and the potential impact that they could have on someone. But what we don’t know or even have the capacity to understand is the personal history and emotion of another person and the pain that we inflict upon them when we are not sensitive to the words that we share. As humans we are so quick to judge one another’s flaws and critique every wrong move. We stand in the corner pointing fingers and mocking one another. Out of fear that we too might not be good enough? We’ve all heard it a million times, but no one is perfect.

Everyone is guilty of letting words slip out that have no real depth, but the pain comes in the way that those words are perceived by the other. There are certainly times when I wish I could hit the rewind button and rewrite my script. If only it were that easy. The next time that you want to say something spiteful or feel compelled to use words that you might resent, think again. Relationships create the fabric of life, a blanket of colors that encompasses each individual interaction. The things that we do and the words that we say define us and the role that we play.