The Power of Words

I'm still battling a serious bout of fatigue, but I really wanted to post about this even if it takes me all day.

The other day, someone I once worked with mentioned that they were saddened because of something horrible that was said to them. I remember this former co-worker as being a friendly, helpful, and positive person. We haven't worked together in years but stay in touch via social media. Her posts and comments are always kind and sweet.

When I read what had been said to her, my heart literally ached. The words had obviously deeply affected her. Not long after I read her post, another friend posted one of those messages meant to be copied, pasted, and shared. This is that message:

Could one friend please copy and repost? We are trying to demonstrate that someone is always listening.
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
#SuicideAwareness
1-800-273-8255
Just one person.

I usually don't pay attention to requests to "share" a post. This time, I did because I was still thinking about the awful words said to that woman. I've also been going through a very rough cycle of my own depression these past few weeks. One of the things I often wonder about is what sets off these cycles of darkness that I and other's deal with. Mostly, for me, I think it is a symptom of my body chemistry and the disease that I have. For many people, though, I think it must be a symptom of the words and actions of others.

I hope that my former co-worker has healed from what was said to her. I wish people would realize how powerful their negative words and actions can be, even those that don't seem that important to them. Here are some quotes and verses that speak to the power of words. Think about this the next time you interact with someone. Just because you have a "tougher skin" than others, don't inflict damage. One day, you might learn in a hard and painful way, just how much power you have.

"Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble." (Yehuda Berg)

"The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words." (Unknown)

"A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever." (Jessamyn West)

"Your words have power. Speak words that are kind, loving, positive, uplifting, encouraging, and life-giving." (Unknown)

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8(ESV)

Death and life are in the [a]power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21(NASB)

"We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out." (Winston Churchill)

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. (George Orwell, 1984)

Words are also actions, and actions are a kind of words. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Speaking of the power of your mouth, if you want to put your thoughts and words to good use, pray for me and the other members of my support group. Pray for our strength and healing. Pray for anyone who might be struggling with something

I hope that this post was coherent and that it makes the reader think.

Peace
--Free

In the Dark of Night

Depression is a non-discriminatory, all-embracing, rabid bitch of a condition. Sometimes, it just sits dormant in the back of my mind, quiet and resting up for another fight. Sometimes, it comes out to play for just a little while. Sometimes, it comes out for a old-fashioned, tent revival type of attack.

It's been a rough couple of weeks. My depression came out full force one day and left me almost breathless. I couldn't eat or sleep or even get out of bed for about three days. When I did manage to move around, it was just to write checks for bills and collect my mail. Interacting with people at all these days wears me out so I was timing my visits to the mailbox down the hall so that I didn't run into neighbors. That almost never works. For some reason, no matter how awful I feel, I can't stand not to bling out a smile and my best customer service voice when I run into people. So, yeah, spending five minutes beyond my front door wore me right out and put me off my feet for the next several hours.

This is what depression looks like for me:



Cold. Lonely. Desolate. Lost. Hazy. Isolated.

All I can think about is how each one of us is so tiny and unimportant as we exist on this planet in the middle of this galaxy of vast, vast, vastness of unfathomable vastness.

Yesterday was the first time I actually did anything halfway productive. I had to eat something because my medications were starting to curdle in my stomach without food. I've been getting by on meals of cottage cheese with some canned fruit. For a change, I heated up a couple of burritos in the microwave. Since I was already standing up and in the kitchen, I even got fancy and mixed together some ketchup and mayo for a sauce.

Maybe the cottage cheese was making the depression worse. After the burritos, my need to listen to sad songs and sob into my pillow started fading. This morning, I made tea and had a bagel for breakfast. It made my stomach hurt, but at least I kept it down.

One of the things I've been trying to do is pinpoint what pushes my depression button. It's got to be some particular thing that triggers these moods. I was just in to see my doctor before this last darkness blew in. (By the way, during the appointment, I remember having the not-nice thought that any doctor treating me should temporarily suffer from my conditions just so they would understand.) I was feeling a little bit down, but nothing like the last several days. When I try thinking of what's been different, it's all good stuff. My blood pressure has been that of a normal person for a couple of months now (instead of reading like numbers from a NASA launch), and my doctor prescribed anti-anxiety meds and some B12. My sarc symptoms have been acting the fool for a while, but that happens in regular cycles. So, what's the depression trigger? Lower blood pressure? It's a mystery to me.

Meanwhile, my book - you know, the one I've been working on for around three years? It's just sitting on my computer rolling its eyes at me every time I open the file. I don't even remember what it was like to be so excited to work on that project. I don't remember what it's like to be excited about much of anything right now. 

When I get in these moods, I find it hard to even open my Bible, but I will try to think of at least one verse to keep in mind while I lean into my faith and wait for the storms to pass. This is what I'm thinking of now:

"The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8 NAS)

So, I'm sitting here, laying here, waiting for relief.

Peace,
Free