It's an argument that seems to be going on continually. Some claim that words are just words and no matter what is said, it shouldn't be offensive because it's just words. Others argue behind the power of words and the impact they can have on the lives around them. In a way, both sides are true, but I tend to lean more towards the side that claims that words cannot be just words.
If words were just words, tell me why racial slurs and catcalling are offensive.
If words were just words, tell me how bullying exists.
If words were just words, tell me how "I love you" means so much more than "I like you."
If words were just words, tell me how certain song lyrics cause us to say "I FELT that."
If words were just words, tell me why are we so adamant that we should have said the things we never did once it's too late.
The truth is, words aren't just words. There is so much meaning behind a word, literally and figuratively. You can make someone's day with a simple sentence or ruin it in one blow. You have the power to cause a girl to never wear her favorite shirt again or to bruise a guy's ego to the core. You can start a Twitter fight in 280 characters. You can make a girl walk a little faster down the sidewalk. You can bring people into your life, or you can kick them out. You can end an argument. You can change the world. If you don't say anything at all, I can guarantee that none of these things would be true.
Words have the power to cut deeper than knives could. They can rock you to your core, stir up emotions, and stick in your brain for years to come. They can make you feel on top of the world or like you've sunk right to the bottom. Yes, we get to make the decision on whether or not we will let the stupid things that someone else says impact our entire day, but when the initial line is delivered, there is no doubt that if it's intended to be hurtful, you feel the brief flashes of pain before deciding you won't let it affect you. Words carry a power to them. They carry ideas, thoughts, opinions, judgments, and more within them. Words will always mean something; it's just a matter if they mean enough.
So, choose your words carefully. You have the power to make or break someone's day, so why not choose to make it? Why not use the power of words for a greater good than for harmful purposes since you have the option? Why not try to avoid offensive terms or slurs if you know they're offensive? You never know what someone else is going through or what could trigger hurt for others, so it's so much easier to just be kind. The world would be so much better off if we thought about the impact our words might make in the world before we actually let the world hear them.
