“Leave her alone!” Those were some of the best words spoken over me.
I was eight or nine and a bully kept taunting me about the dress I was wearing. When I’d put it on earlier that day I’d felt excited. It was a new-to-me, hand me down my older cousin had given me. The prettiest dress I owned. It made me feel beautiful. Until the bully began bullying. Now, I only felt shame. The type of corrosive shame that eats you alive and leaves you wishing you weren’t.
That’s when someone I didn’t even know well stepped up, faced the bully, and demanded, “Leave her alone!”
And he did!
In that awful moment when all I wanted was to become invisible, someone saw me and spoke up for me. I have carried those words with me for more than fifty years.
The 500 million figure hit me hard. Most of those words just flow out by reflex. We don't choose them. But Jerry's note and your mother's nine words weren't polished or edited. They were just true. There's something in that tension. The words that stick aren't usually the ones we labor over - they're the ones that escape before we can second-guess them.
Beautiful article Will, resonates deeply, you are so right! Thank you. It has encouraged me to continue. Here is my story of how two instances in my life inspired me to become a writer and use words for healing
I tell my kids all the time to choose their words carefully. Taking back unkind words is like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. Lots of wisdom here.
A wonderful and also somewhat frightening message... frightening in that sometimes we say things in anger that stick much harder than we intended. But most of all, it's a wonderful message. Among other things, it made me recall something I haven't even considered in two decades... an article on Spring and God's creation for the newsletter of a church I attended in my late 20s. Hey, you should republish this article annually!
Gave me a lump in my throat. The best words are the affirming words that find their way home to the heart. Great challenge, thanks!
Ryan, glad this resonated. Thank you for reading.
I’m holding back tears after reading this. What a beautiful and sobering reminder of the weight our words carry.
Thank you for the tears, which show you felt where this post was coming from.
“Leave her alone!” Those were some of the best words spoken over me.
I was eight or nine and a bully kept taunting me about the dress I was wearing. When I’d put it on earlier that day I’d felt excited. It was a new-to-me, hand me down my older cousin had given me. The prettiest dress I owned. It made me feel beautiful. Until the bully began bullying. Now, I only felt shame. The type of corrosive shame that eats you alive and leaves you wishing you weren’t.
That’s when someone I didn’t even know well stepped up, faced the bully, and demanded, “Leave her alone!”
And he did!
In that awful moment when all I wanted was to become invisible, someone saw me and spoke up for me. I have carried those words with me for more than fifty years.
What an epic moment. Thanks for sharing!
Such a thoughtful post. Appreciate you sharing.
Absolutely, and thank you for reading.
Thank you for posting that.
"We can speak up, trusting our best words to choose us as much as we choose them." What a gorgeous sentence. Loved this piece, Will.
"whatever you do in life, promise me you'll keep writing"
"at your own pace, you'll find someone who has all the pieces."
Kristen, what great phrases. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Will. And thank you for encouraging! both phrases live in my memior!
The 500 million figure hit me hard. Most of those words just flow out by reflex. We don't choose them. But Jerry's note and your mother's nine words weren't polished or edited. They were just true. There's something in that tension. The words that stick aren't usually the ones we labor over - they're the ones that escape before we can second-guess them.
Well said. And thank you for reading.
Really powerful read 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thanks Caroline.
Beautiful article Will, resonates deeply, you are so right! Thank you. It has encouraged me to continue. Here is my story of how two instances in my life inspired me to become a writer and use words for healing
https://wordsforhealing.org/about/
Michelle, wow. Thank you for sharing your story too. Love the words for healing theme.
So grateful to God for the path He placed me on. 🙏
Ok, so I'm wiping away the tears now 😢. This got me thinking about a lot of things in a good way 💛.
Kimberlee, that's a high compliment. Glad this sparked some thoughts in you.
Beautifully written
Thanks Al.
I tell my kids all the time to choose their words carefully. Taking back unkind words is like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. Lots of wisdom here.
Maury, love the toothpaste analogy. When I was little a Sunday school teacher used that exact object lesson and I never forgot it.
That’s probably where I heard it, too. I learned a lot in Sunday School.
This is such a beautiful reminder of the power of words. I’m gonna really think about this! 🙏
Thanks Kara!
Your mothers last words, they say so much and brought me to tears.
Becca, absolutely :)
A wonderful and also somewhat frightening message... frightening in that sometimes we say things in anger that stick much harder than we intended. But most of all, it's a wonderful message. Among other things, it made me recall something I haven't even considered in two decades... an article on Spring and God's creation for the newsletter of a church I attended in my late 20s. Hey, you should republish this article annually!
Appreciate this, Scott. Glad it brought back a memory.