Words to Live By

I've always loved words.

Whether in books or songs or quotes, I am certainly a lexophile. I think my "Beautiful Words" board is the most active on my Pinterest- I'm amazed at the impact words and letters can make. Isn't it crazy... 26 symbols, pieced together in different ways, have the ability to make or break any given day or moment.

Lately, I've been digging into my Bible. It's full of words that really are meaningful and educational. In my reading, I came across my new favorite verse: Ephesians 4:29. When I read it, it was exactly what I wanted and needed to hear. Not that I was struggling with gossip or using kind words, but because it was a revelation of sorts.

I thought for a long time about how powerful words are to myself. My mood is strongly affected by the words that I hear from both myself and others. I'm not the only person who operates like that; from a young age we were told that "sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt us", which is the biggest lie since words are a form of communication that, when selected, may be remembered and dwelled on. This verse puts it all perfectly. If others' words can make or break me, then my words have the ability to make or break my peers, and my goal should be to lift them up. I should strive to make sure those I care about- and everyone else, for that matter- know that they are great and beautiful and important to me.

This summer will be a lot of catching up and telling stories about college. I'm going to work to make sure that I am speaking in ways that build myself and others up, rather than the opposite. It's all about making my words count.