Kind Words
When my oldest son was in high school, he had a teacher who’d attempt to diffuse the tensions that would erupt during this early morning class. If her efforts to redirect these tired teenagers failed, she would resort to repeating the phrase, “Kind Words”, in a high pitch, almost sing-song manner.
Ironically, this strategy worked.
Seldom will the rest of us have someone to remind us to choose "kind words".
The words we use aren’t merely words. They are a message that can work to shape one's identity as well as their emotional wellbeing. I’m sure we can all recall a time when someone's words left us feeling like less. Although, we can also probably recall a time when someone’s words left us feeling like more. That is the power of kind words. They make both the person hearing those words, as well as the person saying them feel like more.
Whether its words of encouragement for an overwhelmed Mom, praise from the teacher of a struggling student, or a verbal pat on the back from a supervisor for a job “well done”,
when kind words are directed towards us, we suddenly want to do be better.
Nearly 30 years ago, I was adjusting to the role of being a wife. The fact is, marriage wasn’t exactly on my radar at that point in my life, so I had some catching up to do; especially in the area of cooking. My skill set upon entering matrimony included making buttered noodles and microwavable grits. As we entered the newlywed phase, my husband was often working on projects in other countries for months at a time, while I was finishing up my degree. During our time apart, I worked hard to expand our menu beyond noodles and grits. Relying heavily upon the Betty Crocker Cookbook I got as a wedding gift, I was finally able to hone my skills in the kitchen.
As we approached our first Christmas together, I was excited to try my hand at roasting my first turkey. I followed the recipe in my trusted cookbook to a T. I also contacted my Mom a few times throughout the process. Every 2 hours, without fail, I'd pull the roasting pan from our tiny oven to baste the turkey. Each time I did so, the turkey in the oven started looking more and more like the picture in my cookbook, which was a very good sign.
As I pulled my turkey out of the oven for the last time, I felt like I had come into my own in the kitchen that day. However, the moment of truth came later that evening when my turkey was placed on a banquet table at a Christmas party. I heard plenty of kind words that night due, mainly in part, to my turkey, but the words that meant the most were the ones that came from my husband. His sincere praise for my first turkey gave me the confidence I needed to expand my horizons in the kitchen, but that was just the beginning. Throughout the 30 years that we’ve been together, he has continued to navigate difficult or tense situations in life, relying on the power of
kind words.
Think of the positive impact your kind words can have.
They could simply brighten someone’s day or give them the courage to take a new path in life. Either way, it’s worth it just to help someone feel like more.
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