Words are neither good nor bad. It comes empty or at best neutral. Only the mindset or disposition of the receiver gives meaning to it, notwithstanding the very intention of the person that brought it forth.
We are the make or marr agent of our destiny, we are equally both the joy or curse giver of our life. The blessings or curse that we often attribute to words are only made effective or otherwise by our mind.
He walks into an office looking for job placement. Inside the brown envelope securely placed by his armpit were his documents. His CV well detailed, his certificates very amazing with top grades, a show of how brilliant he was.
The panel of interviewers all armed with questions, tricky as they seemed, oftentimes off the precinct of the interviwees areas of strength.
From all corners, questions were thrown at him, he managed to answer them the best he could, even though they were questions that were alien to his area of study.
Hmmmm! One of the interviewers took a long breathe, looked at his Cv, and took a long look at him again. Where did you buy this certificate from? He said to him. Buy? No sir I didn’t buy it, it was awarded to me in recognition of my four year course in the university which I completed satisfactory. I made 2.1 sir, I didn’t buy it.
You don’t look smart to me, all the questions thrown at you were all haphazardly answered. Those answers were not from a 2.1 brain. Sorry you are not the type of person our company is looking for. Good day!!
These are empty and neutral words. As much as they may sound hash and demoralising. The strength and potency of those words lie not with the source but rather with the mindset of the receiver.
We are not made or marred by something outside us, we are made or marred by the disposition of our inner self.
We get angry not because of the words spoken to us, our joy and happiness are not built on words of appreciation, commendation and approval we receive, rather by the interpretation given to them by our inner self.
Call him idiot, describe him as one brainless guy, if the inner mind of the person these words were spoken to didn’t process them as insulting, no offence would be taken.
Blessings are empty , curses too are. What makes either of them effective or otherwise is the emotion that is attached to them. Emotion is the fertilising agent on words, it incubates words giving them life, power, strength and energy. It equally demobilises, detonates and detoxifies words.
When the scripture says “what defies a man isn’t what enters into him, rather what comes out from him”, it subtly validates the power of the mind. It controls everything around a man. The curse words spoken to one, the hash word and remarks made about one, the denigrating and demeaning description of ones status etc are things “going into” not things “coming from”. All these “going into” only become a challenge when the mind processes them and give them expression by way of venting them out in an emotional way depicting hurt, anger and demoralization.
Why would anybody take offence with “Are you stupid”? Why would one get insane and angered because a question was asked about a perception of one? One only gets angry over such and the likes because of the emotional investment made in those expressions. Empty words, harmless too, only ones mind or emotions adds meaning and potency to it by way of processing or interpretation.
What you think about one doesn’t matter, rather what one thinks about oneself. Nothing affects one unless one allows it. Nothing affects ones psyche unless one allows it. Words are powerless, the power and effect they have on one is the one given by the motion one builds around them.
Words once spoken can’t be forgotten. It can only be forgiven or relished, depending on the kind of emotion that is wrapped around it.
The mind is powerful, generating the kind of emotion that would be a defining agent in one life good, bad and ugly.
Get your mind right, put a pruning and weeding mechanism around it, only this would make one to be the very single determinant factor I deciding how one feels not the words spoken.
The mind is a powerful force. It can enslave us or empower us. It can plunge us into the depths of misery or take us to the heights of ecstasy. Learn to use the power wisely.” David Cuschieri
Your mind is your greatest power. use it well.” Aneta Cruz
“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” Buddha
“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” Anonymous
“She knew the power of her mind and so programmed it for success.” Carrie Green
“When you become the master of your mind, you are master of everything.” Swami Satchidananda
These six quotes have one thing in common, the power of the mind not the power of words. Once ones mind is correct, balanced, able to process things dispassionately without being overly emotional and sentimental, one is good for a ride no matter how turbulent, caustic , abrasive , flattery and patronising the words spoken to one may be.
Words are neutral, ones mind makes them what they finally become.
Next time words are thrown at you, getting angry or elated about them isn’t the function of the words rather the function of ones mind.
So guard your mind well, ventilating it every time with good and godly thoughts.
Jarlath Opara
