Words

Reading and writing are two of my favorite things, of the non-human category!  Lately, the words have been sucked out of me and quiet time floods me with memories that run down my face and bring thoughts of happier times.  So many emotions make me weary:-( 

I read this yesterday:

       Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.

It's our choice how we choose to use them!  I have not always made good choices.  I'm sorry....mostly.  I was born without a filter. Generally, that bodes well for me. I'm seldom second-guessing what I should have said because I actually said it!! I never purposefully say something to hurt someone. In my head (and then out my lips) I am confident that whatever I uttered was exactly what they needed to hear.   Sometimes, in hindsight, it was more of exactly what I needed to say! Either way, I usually felt better.  Now, after 6.5 decades, I'm trying to think a little more and say a little less.  It's a work in progress and I'm not sure I have enough remaining decades to perfect it..but I'm trying.

Some words I do love to say are "Thank you", "You're welcome" (that would not be YOUR welcome,) and "I love you!"  The last three were never offered much growing up. It was only in the last years of both Mom and Dad's lives that they flowed freely!  I'm thinking it was just something generational.  I try to say it often and I NEVER say it if I don't feel it. I tell my kids, (the ones who'll listen,) my grandkids and my good friends.... because if I say it....I mean it.   I have a deep affection for many but I love many too. Blood IS thicker than water...and this is why! It's a misquoted saying that most use to justify choosing family bonds over the bonds that we make by choice. Well, guess what folks?  It means exactly the opposite!  The actual saying is "the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb"  Those words actually mean that the bonds you've made by choice are more important than the people that you are bound to by the water of the womb. HUH! So now we know that those words reflect the fact that the bonds you choose for yourself can mean much more than the ones you don't have much say in!!!  I already knew that but now I have validation.  It's almost parallel to the never-ending nature vs. nurture debate... but that's a subject for a different day.

Today I say "Thank you" to those who follow me and put up with my ramblings. I'll try to do better in the future...for everyone....after all, blood is thicker than water 💓😉