Change A Word, Change Your Life

I suppose a person might think that because I have called this blog “The Power of Words”, then I must have a real grasp on just that, the power of words. I believe I do have a fairly strong sense and belief that there is power in a word; actually no, it is pretty solid.

So, having that inner conviction, a person might also think that I’ve got a handle on things; that I never think, let alone speak a word that might be harmful or damaging to either myself or another. I can say with all honesty that I have come a long way, but I can also say with all honesty that there is still a ways to go. It is a journey and I’ve far from arrived.

What is really interesting is to wake up and discover that you’ve been playing and speaking a word to yourself all of your life, and you had totally forgotten about it. That is just what happened to me this morning. I woke up with the rote words of a prayer that I was taught as a child in a Roman Catholic family. It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it, to find such things so ingrained in one’s makeup and you are totally oblivious to their existence as they silently do their thing in the background.

Having had this brought to my attention, I believe that it is not enough just to acknowledge, examine and be rid of the damaging word(s), but that there is a need to make a conscious choice to replace the word with a healthy and live giving new word. I believe that if I simply rid myself of that word that has been such a long time resident and a part of my makeup, occupying space, there will be a gap, and another word will come along to take its place – whether I choose to choose or not; something will fill the void.

What was it I heard this morning; that prayer? It is a very brief prayer that begins with the words,