Remembering the power of our words can make all the difference for the people around us.
I jumped out of bed one morning last week and put on some sweatpants and tennis shoes. Mornings are always busy at my house. I had lunches to make as well as breakfasts and I had to coax a couple of teenagers out of bed. Right away, I felt something on the ball of my right foot, not painful, but annoying.
I didn’t really have time to be annoyed, so I just let it go. After I finally sat down to eat my breakfast, I could no longer stand it. I pulled off my shoe and my sock and lo and behold I found the culprit. It was a tiny pebble, not much larger than a grain of sand. I marveled at the fact that something so tiny and seemingly insignificant, could cause me so much discomfort.
I showed it to my son, who was unimpressed and went back to his game of Crossy Chicken. But, I thought about that tiny grain all day long and other things in life that seem insignificant that can cause frustration. Unfortunately, many such things came to mind.
Things like snapping at your spouse or kids first thing in the morning. Snippy, harsh words may seem like no big deal. But, those words first thing in the morning can ruin a perfectly good day. Who knows what great things could have been achieved that day if we hadn’t unleashed our frustrations on those around us? A tiny grain of sand can do damage.
What about offhand comments about a friend or neighbor that we really didn’t mean anything by? The intention may not have been bad on our own part, but it was perceived that way? A tiny grain of sand can do damage.
We have very little control of whether or not our words or actions will take root once they have been said or done. Sometimes they will fall on deaf ears and be completely forgotten. But, sometimes they grow. If they are good and positive words and deeds, then that’s a great thing. If they are negative words or deeds; they can fester.
What seems like a tiny grain of sand can produce some seriously hurt feelings or worse. That tiny pebble in my shoe really reminded me of the importance of the little things like praise or criticism and sometimes it’s in the very best interest of everyone involved when just keep our mouths shut. You know the old saying, “If you can’t say something nice…….”
Perhaps Lent is the perfect time to think about the seemingly tiny sand pebbles in our own lives. Maybe we can be much more careful about the words we say and also vigilant about how we take the words of others, remembering that others struggle with scattering their own grains just like we do.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂