The Pen (or tongue) is Mightier Than the Sword

I'm sure we've all heard that saying in some form or another. It's so true. It's been around for centuries. Even the book of Proverbs says , "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21). Thomas Jefferson wrote to Thomas Payne, "Get on doing with your pen what in other times was done with the sword." Even Shakespeare knew. "Even rapier s are afraid of goose quills..." (Hamlet). Why is it that we don't know, or seem to even care?

I look at the news and it seems like the gossip stories have a higher place than what's going on around the country. Haiti Relief has been replaced with "How is Sandra Bullock coping with her cheating husband?" or "Lindsay Lohan is still partying way too much." Who cares. We have become a society of Perez Hiltons. (no, I'm not personally dissing you Perez, although I highly doubt you'll read this). I think the E! channel gets higher ratings than CNN.

What am I getting at? Gossip. Hatred. Lies. It's all there. No, not in the Enquirer, on Main Street. It's almost as if everyone wants to look better. But it's not easy to make that happen by doing positive things, so we tear each other down. Why must we contstantly attack each other? What good does it do to talk about a person behind their back? Does it make you feel better about yourself? I know you aren't educating the public about how horrible of a mother so and so is, or how Jane McPhee is having a little too much chardonnay too early in the day. Why did Mike lose his job? Well, they were having cutbacks, but within a week, it becomes Mike got fired because he got arrested for cooking Meth. We should help others. But if we can't, then we can at least not harm them (Dalai Lama).

Pee-Wee Herman repopularized "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I don't know about you, but a broken spirit takes longer to heal sometimes than a broken rib. If you don't think words can cause damage, ask Phoebe Prince's parents. She decided it would be easier to not exist than to suffer the taunting of her classmates any longer.

What do we accomplish when we say hurtful things to, or about, each other? How does that make this world a better place? With all that is going on, every little bit of good we can do helps. Before you speak, think. I know it's hard sometimes not to join in on the hating, but perhaps if we all do our part, it will end.