WORDS MATTER
“People create their world by the words of their mouths.” – F Crowell
Life experiences are the best teachers if we pay attention to them.
Today I went to Mass aboard the MS Rotterdam. The gentle, kind and elderly priest spoke from Genesis. Over and over in his homily, he spoke of the power of the words we speak.
I listened carefully. I reflected on my usage of words.
The priest’s sermon reminded me of my desire to be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. As James said, “Anger does not bring about the results God desires.”
While Susie put in her long walk around the ship, I had coffee; and wrote Word of Hope. Then on to breakfast on the aft deck.
The request for a quiet table alone was ignored. The waiter placed me very close to two quite elderly ladies.
It was too easy to hear every word they spoke. While it is impossible to recall much of what they discussed, the subject matter was people, not ideas.
My first thoughts were to marvel and be happy for all their life long memories. They had been part of the rich and wealthy crowd of south Florida.
Second, thoughts, the priest’s message, words matter played out in my mind.
Recalling someone once telling me; “You can talk about ideas or you can talk about people.”
It was like the two aristocratic ladies were actresses in a two-person play, and I was a phantom, single spectator. It was fascinating.
This was one of the lines I remember; “The bacon is good; Delvin wore her dead husband’s clothes to the party.” “Ha ha.”
Long silence…
“I think he married her for her money. Does she still own the bungalow at Palm Beach?”
“I am not sure. The party will be nice when we get home.”
More silence.
“My eggs are cold.”
More silence.
Motivation comes in both negative and positive messages.
The kind, wise priest motivated the congregation to speak words of love and hope and encouragement.
The two aristocratic women motivated me to talk about ideas, philosophy, faith, love, and encouragement.
Their sad countenances motivated me to put on a garment of praise.
Their negative conversation moved me to speak life about the wonders of creation.
Speaking of wonders. This am the MS Rotterdam enters the locks of the Panama Canal: one of the wonders of the modern world.
When we engage in making our words matter, our lives become wonders, because Personal Worlds are built with the words of our mouths; word matter.
