Kind Words

We've all experienced a moment that "made my day": a kind word, a smile, a thank you, a surprise, etc.

Yesterday my moment came in a letter from a dear friend who I have known for nearly 70 years. While writing to her, I was listening to cellist YoYo Ma and the NY Symphony Orchestra play the debut performance of a piece written specifically to highlight Ma's unique talent and skill.

Because my friend has a master's degree in music, I knew she would understand and share my delight with YoYo Ma's performance. So I made comments regarding the music as I was hearing it throughout the letter. This new composition touched my heart and soul. I watched it a second time after I finished the letter.

Her return letter read:

"...where you described the music. I thought to myself, you not only edit writing, write stories but also review music in the most beautiful and descriptive manner..." Wow!

These kind words, what we used to call warm fuzzies, were also a reminder to me to be an encourager... to fulfill my personal mission statement:" To encourage spiritual joy through the written and spoken word."

In Florence Littauer's book Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement she writes, "every time we open our mouths we have a choice to make- to encourage, uplift and give hope OR to undermine, discourage and judge... words are powerful whether positive or negative, they can never be taken back. One little comment can lift up a person's life; the wrong words can also ruin it."

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "The only gift is a portion of yourself." Littauer calls that being a silver box with a silver ribbon and led me to collect a few silver boxes to remind myself that anyone can give encouragement, and everyone needs it at one time or another. Encouragement motivates and inspires. Encouragement is simple. It has no boundaries like age, gender, cost or time.

All that is needed is the desire to make someone feel special... to be a verbal cheerleader, a planter of seeds of hope.

Selah ~ never a discouraging word...

Connie, writer Liz Curtis Higgs' "Official Encourager"