Harsh
words break no bones but they do break hearts. Words can heal and words can harm.
Uncontrollable words spoken in anger can have devastating effect. Angry
words, that are used unthinkingly, such as "I don't care,"
"I don't need you," or
"you can go to hell" cause pain and feelings of rejection. The unmeant and foolish words contain full of
deadly poison and can play havoc in the mind. Let us turn
away from angry words before they leave our mouth and try to say healing
words instead. Let us learn from story that follows (author unknown):
A
girl in love asked her boyfriend.
Girl: Tell me. Who do you love most in this world?
Boy: You, of course!
Girl: In your heart, what am I to you?
Boy: The boy thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said, "You
are my rib. It was said that God saw that Adam was lonely, during his sleep, God
took one of Adam's rib and created Eve. Every man has been searching for his
missing rib, only when you find the woman of your life, you'll no longer feel
the lingering ache in your heart."
After their wedding, the couple had a sweet and happy life for a while. However,
the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedule of life and
the never-ending worries of daily problems, their life became mundane. All the
challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to gnaw away their dreams
and love for each other. The couple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel
became more heated.
One day, after the quarrel, the girl ran out of the house. At the opposite side
of the road, she shouted, "You don't love me!" The boy hated her childishness
and out of impulse, retorted, "Maybe, it was a mistake for us to be together!
You were never my missing rib!" Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a
long while. He regretted what he said but words spoken are like thrown away
water, you can never take it back. With tears, she went home to pack her things
and was determined in breaking-up. Before she left the house, "If I'm really not
your missing rib, please let me go." She continued, "It is less painful this
way. Let us go on our separate ways and search for our own partners."
Five years went by...
He never remarried but he had tried to find out about her life indirectly. She
had left the country and back. She had married a foreigner and divorced. He felt
anguished that she never waited for him. In the dark and lonely night, he lit
his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn't bring
himself to admit that he was missing her.
One day, they finally met. At the airport, a place where there were many
reunions and good byes. He was going away on a business trip. She was standing
there alone, with just the security door separating them. She smiled at him
gently.
Boy: How are you?
Girl: I'm fine. How about you? Have you found your missing rib?
Boy: No.
Girl: I'll be flying to New York in the next flight.
Boy: I'll be back in 2 weeks time. Give me a call when you are back. You know my
number. Nothing has changed.
With a smile, she turned around and waved goodbye.
Goodbye...
One week later, he heard of her death. She had perished in New York, in the
event that shocked the world. Midnight, once again, he lit his cigarette. And
like before, he felt the lingering ache in his heart. He finally knew. She was
the missing rib that he had carelessly broken.
Speak
when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever
regret.
A careless word may kindle strife.
The cruel word usually wrecks a life. Timely word help level stress… But
it’s the loving words that heal and bless.
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Tim
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