Words of Beauty

1. 81

   Rafiniposted 13 years ago

   I'd like to discuss the concept of treating words as things of beauty.  I get it, in that flowers are beautiful - so are words.  The human body is beautiful - so are words.  Nature is beautiful - so are words. 
   
   Now I can understand the reason I got so upset over name calling and such as a child. (thanks to you suggest one!)  Remember this saying?:
   
   Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me
   
   I remember crying and crying over this saying when I was young.  Why would people tell me such lies?  I remember crying and telling my mother - "But, names do hurt!" & "Words really do have the power to hurt!"  Now, today, thanks to you suggest one, I remember learning about the power of words and somehow learned (somehow learned?  I'm sure I was taught, I just don't remember it!!)  to look past the words to hear what people were really saying. 
   
   I think I'm okay with the written word, but, how do I put the power back into the spoken word?  (I have a speech on Monday that I'm worried about - I cried while typing it!!) Any ideas?  Thanks!

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2. 60

   couturepopcafeposted 13 years ago

   Must be some pretty powerful subject for you to cry over a speech.  Since I don't know the full story, I can only say to use your speech like a poetic delivery.  Pretend you are sharing a poem complete with inflection and meaning.
   
   P.S.  I have always loved your avatar, the partial colorization of the black and white photo of the beautiful woman.  Whomever she is has had one lucky hand of fate on her face.  Your choice of avatar, its perfect composition, speaks to your own sensitivity to art.

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   1. 81

      Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The subject is Autism (an informational speech).  I don't really know why I cried - unless it's because the symptoms seem so overwhelming when spread out over 5-6 pages. 
      
      I like the idea of a poetic delivery, except, I think I'd cry more.  (my very first speech I cried the entire time, the second I cried after I finished)  But, if I look at the inflection and meaning, and skip the poetry part.....
      
      (thanks for complimenting the avatar - you've articulated why I liked it, and chose it.  I couldn't!  I just knew I liked it)

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3. 66

   FloBeposted 13 years ago

   Words do have the power to hurt deeply. I used to (and still do far too often) take what people said very serious and personal. Over time I began to learn that most often what people say is more a reflection of who they are, what is going on inside themselves, and how they view the world, than what is actually the truth about me. When we begin to know who we really are inside and live true to the best we can be, we can discard any comments made about us that are untrue and walk forward in confidence. So, if what you're saying in your speech is true to what you really believe and is spoken with integrity, then you can be sure of yourself and let everything else go.

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   1. 81

      Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      (me too!  blasted sensitivity to everything!!)
      
      Okay, so what you're saying is to believe in what I'm saying and say it with integrity.  Funny thing is, I can do that when talking face to face with a single person I know or a super-small group, but struggle when it's an unknown person or a larger group. 
      
      hehehe  I have the situations backwards too.  In the Small Group & Interpersonal Communications class I had more success in front of the class (nervous as heck, but didn't cry!)  In this class, plain old Speech, I have more success talking with other members of the class rather than speaking in front of them. 

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      1. 60

         calebacea097posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         words are fickle

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4. 59

   Jaggedfrostposted 13 years ago

   As one with Autism, how things are said are very important.  If the mode of expression changes often my ability to hang with the new paradigm shifts and takes a bit to accept as equally valid to the previous point of view.  Accidentally, for the sake of a shift in vernacular I have caught myself arguing a point I actually agreed with because I mistook the meaning of the things said due to a shift in which words were used at the time.

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