Our words have a tremendous power to bring healing and
strength to another person or to hurt in a very deep way. We should never
underestimate the power we have to use our words for a positive effect on a
person’s life or, in some cases, a lasting negative effect.
When I was growing up my parents loved me very much. My
father loved me as much as any father could love a little girl. He played
games, built a toy house and read to me each night before I went to sleep. But
he didn’t like my sensitivity, especially my tears when I felt hurt. My father
felt that my sensitivity and tears would stand in the way of my having a
successful and happy life. Often I heard, “You must get over being so sensitive
and getting hurt. It will stand in your way.” When I would get hurt and cry, I
was sent to my room and again told to get over the feelings as they were not
good. As a child I believed my father. I thought I was handicapped as much as
someone who is blind or deaf. I didn’t know how to tell myself to stop feeling.
And so the feelings came, sometimes with tears, and I felt ashamed of them.
