The Power of Words: Do We Use Them as Bridges or Weapons?

We can use the power of our words to build bridges that connect us — or as weapons that wound.

Often, we don’t measure our words. We simply fire in all directions. How we feel while speaking seems more important than the consequences we cause. Unlike physical wounds that can heal, emotional ones can leave a painful imprint on the mind for a lifetime.

Words as Precise Building Blocks

What if we thought of words as building blocks of an architectural structure? One miscalculation, one misplaced block, can affect the entire building.

Careless words don’t just harm those around us. Long after we’ve spoken them, they echo in our own minds and cause us discomfort.

A kind word can be the sunshine in someone’s day. A harsh one can cast a heavy shadow over it entirely. That’s why our words should have purpose, meaning, and precision. This is a quality we strive for — a skill we develop over time.

The Healing Power of Words

A good word is like healing for the soul — for the one who hears it and the one who speaks it. When we say something kind, we fill ourselves with that kindness too. A bad word is like poison for both.

Talking too much often leads to making mistakes. There’s a reason they say silence is golden. There’s a reason they advise counting to ten when you’re angry — or not speaking at all in such moments.

Think before you speak. Breathe. Say it in your mind first. Consider whether it’s worth saying out loud.

The Vibration of Words

Speaking creates vibrations in the body — and even if we don’t always feel it, kind words have a positive effect on us. They lift us up and fill us with lightness. Harsh words seem to pull us down, weigh on us, and leave a bitter taste.

Lips Like a Jewellery Box

How beautiful it would be if everything we said was so beautiful and precise that it felt like diamonds falling from our lips. If we treated our hearts and mouths like a jewellery box — one we open only to offer something precious to the world.

The Final Question

If you’ve said something you regret — or if you worry that you might say something hurtful in the future — there is a solution. Ask for forgiveness. Cover a bad word with a good word or a good deed.

The question we can ask ourselves before saying anything:

“If these were my last words, would I still say them?”