You Are Your Words

People are often unreasonable and self-centred. If you are kind they may accuse you of ulterior motives. You might be honest but people may cheat you. You finding happiness may leave others jealous. Any good you do today might be forgotten tomorrow. But one must always remember to not be influenced by the people they are surrounded by and instead influence people around them to do well and be good. One must continue to forgive, to be kind, to be honest and be happy despite the mistrust and misunderstanding they might face in their lives. Actions do speak louder than words, no doubt about that. But one must understand that if one’s intentions do not lay in the right place, his/her words could never come out right, could never stem from the heart, and therefore their actions would also hold no value. It is essential that you practice what you preach and to preach all things that are right and just, one’s words must be fair, pure and reasonable. Your credibility and integrity will hold no value anywhere in the world if you say one thing and do another. It is important that we act as we speak. For the longest time one can pretend to be whom they are not. I could speak softly and calmly, with a smile etched on my face and say all good things to you, about you but if in my heart I hold you in contempt my words will be as fake and hollow as my smile. How well we stay committed to our words and beliefs is what makes us better human beings. They say if you wish no good to somebody then don’t wish them harm either. Our choice of words, be it in an argument or a debate or just casual banter with friends; in each of these instances the words we choose to speak are only a reflection of our beings. How sensitive, aware and understanding of the world and its happenings you are is what is reflected from your choice of words. We are often quick to draw conclusions about people we do not know sometimes by merely having shared a conversation with them or maybe overhearing a conversation. Why is it do you think that some people leave you impressed while there are some who you decide to keep a safe distance from the next time they are around? It is because your mind subconsciously processes their language, the words they use to express themselves and their intonation to draw inferences about the kind of people you then assume them to be. If you witness a child taking a harsh tone with their parent you immediately deduce that the child is rude and ill-mannered. When you hear the pastor at church share a story from his childhood on loving and caring for fellow human beings you almost in an instant take him to be a kind-hearted and a good man. When you are upset and reach out to your mother, just a few soothing words from her make you feel better. And that is why it is important that we choose our words carefully. They offer a mirror into our souls, and who wouldn’t want to be a happy, generous soul. Some people appear sharp before they open their mouth because light travels faster than sound but once you’ve shared a conversation with a fellow human being you can tell with certainty how true they are to themselves and to the rest of the world. One must always aim to not become a product of their environment but instead work to create an environment that which is a product of them. It is only obvious that we would all want to live in an environment that is safe, clean and healthy and that no miscommunication and no misunderstanding ruins the peace and brotherhood. That would only be possible if we all chose our words right and stayed true to them all times. That is why you are your words; speak well and good will come unto you, speak ill and nothing could go right with you.