CAN I HAVE A WORD WITH YOU!

“Can I have a word with you ?” Or “We need to talk” or “I have something to say to you”, these are the statements that invoke a discomfort in me, making me think of all the wrongs or mistakes I did in the last ten years, seriously, I get wary of the person and am on my guard instantly, ready to defend myself, even if I know that I have been good to him/her. Such is the power of words, they have an instantaneous effect on us, changing our whole outlook and reaction to the situation. 

I was a lazy kid, notorious, and used to do many things that would amaze and surprise my parents, both pleasantly and unpleasantly, and every time I would get a scolding from my mother. One time I called a aunt of mine ugly to her face, she made a racquet of my silly mistake(yeah, silly, she was ugly and I was just nine), she told everyone and mum scolded me, “you have no sense, no respect for elders, no manners, you are being rotten by your father”, I would listen to all her words, but the minute she mentioned my father spoiling me, I will shout back and retaliate ending up getting more scolded and often papa would come to my aid, which would result in them having a roaring fight over my upbringing, while I would be sitting in a corner totally forgotten, watching them fight. I often wondered why papa handled me like a piece of cake while my mother thought I was a untamed rogue, and one day I realized its only Words. On my same mistake my father would say “I will support my girl, but you shouldn’t have done it my darling, haven’t I taught you to respect your elders ? Will you let people say that I haven’t given any manners to my only daughter, will you let papa down ?”, and never again in my life, I would repeat the mistake. In a way he said the same thing, but he rephrased it, adding compassion to his words, he made me feel I am not being opposed or suppressed, but I am being guided, and it became my aim never to disappoint him again.

I was so annoyed at a junior one day and I told him “you are the most stupid person on the face of this Earth”, his face lost color as he heard them, he hung his head and went away without saying a single thing to me, leaving me standing there feeling utterly cruel and heartless, but I learned from this experience and the next time I was furious on a girl who had made numerous mistakes, I told “this is the most stupid thing you have ever done”, and she smiled sheepishly, said a polite sorry and told me she will do it the right way. I called them both stupid (I know I know, I am short tempered), yet the girl was pleased while the boy never talked to me again, this is the power of words, I made the boy feel worthless and he lost heart, and went away feeling humiliated, while the girl was happy that she hasn’t been stupid before at least (oh come on, she spilled ink on my days work) and decided to make amends.

“Words have power. Words are power. Words could be your power”, said Mohammad Qahtani, who won the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015. 26 alphabets to play with, and the power to play with them in our hands, we can make them MAGIC or TRAGIC, we can make them BITTER or BETTER. 

Bless your words !