“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Raise your hand if you ever said that in a sing-songy voice as a kid.

Me too.

What a load of garbage!

Throw your sticks. Hurl your stones. I don’t care. Words can hurt so much deeper and for so much longer.

If you stop and think for a minute, I bet you can remember something hurtful someone said to you. Something that is still with you and can upset you. Now, when was the last time someone threw a punch at you? Which one of those still hurts? Which healed fastest?

And why is it so much easier to believe the negative stuff than the positive stuff? Let me give you an example.

Let’s say I go into any fitting room in America. When I see a woman trying something on I will say to her “That really makes your butt look big.” Now, even if 20 other people come in after me and tell her how great she looks, I can pretty much guarantee you that she will not buy that outfit based on one comment by someone she didn’t even know. It stuck.

Words are so powerful. Many times we say things even if we don’t mean them. And we can’t take them back. I am guilty of it, too.

So, even though I am just a casual read to you and I really don’t have an impact on your lives beyond a read (that hopefully you enjoy), will you do me a favor today?

Will you go out of your way to say something nice to someone out of the blue. Maybe someone who you think could really use some nice words. Or someone you may not think to pay a compliment to or show gratitude to. Would you do that for me? (For you? For them?)

Thanks. And you have my word, it will not only make them feel better, it will make you feel better, too.

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