“Each of us has a unique "way of being in the world." This 'being in the world' consists of our demeanor, language (both verbal and non-verbal), inflections of language and attitude. Every encounter with another human being leaves an impression, like a footprint in the sand, or like a wake on the lake. As we reflect on "Healing Presence" during this pastoral care week, let us think about our 'way of being in the world', especially with regard to spoken language.
As we all know well, words can hurt or heal. Four young men committed suicide recently due to hurtful words circulated about them on the internet, also known as cyberbullying. Billions of words are spoken and typed daily ( texting, email, blogs), mindlessly, and they destroy careers and destruct lives.
On our part, let us make a conscious effort to ask this question before we speak: "Is what I am going to say, TRUE, NECESSARY and KIND? Notice that I used the word 'and' instead of 'or' in the three choices posed. In other words, "will it hurt or will it heal?"
Let us develop the habit of 'mindful speaking' and help heal the world around us.
