Picture this. Picture an atomic bomb, being heavily protected, guarded with secret launch codes. Picture the bomb launching, landing and exploding at its target location. Picture the harm, the destruction. It doesn’t end there look at the after effect. The Shockwave that destroys what the bomb did not touch.
Words are just like that. Worse than that. You don’t believe words are dangerous maybe the life of Marie-Antoinet the Queen of France as at the time of the reign of King Louis xvi. There was an economic crisis in France during the time. There were inflation of prices of food stuff were high, particularly bread the food of the common man. When Queen Marie-Antoinette learnt of this she said let the common man get a cake if he cannot afford bread. Cake then was considered as the food of the rich. If the common man could not have gotten the cheapest food bread how could he afford the expensive cake. What Marie-Antoinette said coupled with some other factors led to a chain of events that led to the subsequent overthrow of the monarchy.
Marie-Antoinette said something, what has it got to do with you? It has every thing to do with you. One thing I learnt from her is if you use your words to hurt people, you will get what is coming to you. Like an atomic bomb, words can destroy.
In anger it is best to not talk lest you say something you don’t mean, something you not supposed to say. For instance there were two princes in a Japanese kingdom, they were half brothers and as customary to monarchy, the eldest child is usually the heir to the throne and in situations where there are more than a prince, the others are sent far away to prevent any form of conspiracy against the throne. The crown prince dearly loved his half brother but his father in his attempt to toughen up the crown prince sent the half brother away while creating the impression that the crown prince did it. The half brother before leaving confronted the crown prince on his treachery. Devastated the crown prince took off to confront his father and in the process he said some things about making the father pay for dividing him and his half brother. On getting there, the mother of the half brother had killed the father and used the words the crown prince had said as grounds for foisting suspicion on the crown prince which cost him his throne and a wonderful life he might have had (adapted from the TV series – dark matter).
Just like the crowned prince, unguarded words, atomic words could take everything from someone. You want to change? You and me both. The process I am adopting is the simulated reaction. It involves imagining whether I would be hurt by the words am about to say if they were said to me. It is not exhaustive but it is a start, a way to guard the atomic words.
touchers 