I love to walk along the beach. It calms me and brings me a sense of comfort and awe. Just looking at the ocean or mountains or nature shows me the power of God. Words have power too. As a writer/author I know how words affect me.
I cried in church this morning…again. I usually tear up when we sing The Queen’s Prayer written by Queen Lili’uokalani. She wrote it while she was imprisoned in her home by the haole (not a derogatory meaning here) businessmen and religious leaders who then took over her islands and declared them a Territory of the United States. The Queen wrote and we sing of how sorrowful she was but how she turned to God for strength. She then asked God to forgive and cleanse the sins of the people who had broken her heart. Such an example of grace I have never witnessed. Well, this morning we also sang How Great Thou Art in English and Hawaiian. Another song that just makes me cry. One big reason is that it reminds me of my brother Bobby’s memorial service a few months ago. Another is that it is just a great song that evokes such incredible emotion.
The power of a words. Whether we speak them, write them down or sing them, words can help to heal and comfort or they have the power to destroy. I read a sad article yesterday about a baby who died in a hotel room when she slid between the bed and the wall. How many of us can say that we always put our kids in crib especially while traveling? I shudder to remember how I traveled across country with a six month old and pushed the bed up against the wall and slept on her other side. It could have happened to me! Well, the parents were supposed to go on the Maury Povich Show and I mean to tell you the comments directed at and about those poor grieving parents were horrendously cruel. They were accused of everything from using the baby to make money to being the scum of the earth because they were going to share their dirty laundry on Maury Povich’s “reality” talk show. Hardly anyone said, “they must be heartbroken…” Or, “How sad for those parents losing their healthy beautiful eight month old.” No, 95% wanted to pounce and pummel these people who were already experiencing one of the worst nightmares possible! Why do some of us feel the need to be so mean spirited? I just shook my head and said a prayer for the parents/family and also for the mean people who obviously have more issues than the parents. Just because these young parents were willing to go on TV and talk about their personal issues doesn’t mean that they were not loving parents. Or that they are not heartbroken and grieving now… Show some compassion people!
Use your words to help and comfort not tear down and judge others. Life is too short and no one is perfect so let’s all make a resolution to be kinder, gentler, more patient, more understanding and less critical and judgmental.
That is what I am going to focus on not just through Lent but always. If you get the urge to use your words in a harsh way go outside and marvel at the beauty that surrounds you–hopefully it will still your need to judge or say or think mean thoughts… Aloha for now, I’m going to go walk on the beach now.
Be well,
Shirley
Beautiful reminder, as always. Thank you, Shirley.