Abusive Words

“A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.”

Washington Irving

1. This Words of Hope entry will be comprised of mainly quotes about abusive words to support the above quote. The wounds caused by abusive words continue to fester like an infection long after the first cut is made.  And, as the above quote states, someone who continues to cut people down with words will only get worse the more it is allowed, cutting deeper and deeper with every cut.
2. “It’s amazing how words can do that, just shred your insides apart.”  Lauren Oliver
3. “The tongue pierces deeper than a spear.”  Imam Ali  (Words cut deep.  I have been in relationships with too many people who didn’t think twice about their words.  If they thought it, especially if they were angry, they would spit them out.  The next time they saw  me, they acted like nothing was different and the abusive words they said were of no consequence.  That never made sense to me and I can’t understand how, under any circumstance, someone would think this was OK.  Just for clarification, words matter, are powerful and make an impression, either good or bad.)
4. “Broken hearts hurt more than broken bones.”  Unknown
5. “Be careful what you say.  You can say something hurtful in ten seconds, but ten years later, the wounds are still there.”  Joel Osteen
6. “Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out.” – Unknown
7. “Don’t mix bad words with your bad mood.  You’ll have many opportunities to change your mood, but you’ll never get the opportunity to replace the words you spoke”  Unknown
8. “Be careful with your words.  Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten.”  Unknown
9. “Verbal abuse reveals the disrespect that fuels it.  No matter how many apologies follow.”  Unknown  (We all have said words on an impulse we wished we’d never said and apologized for it.  The problem comes when this is done over and over.  I got to the point that I never knew when abusive words were going to come out of the mouths of certain people in my life.  I was on guard constantly.  It got to the point that the apologies actually made me angry because it felt like  cutting me down and apologizing was a game to me and I was the game piece.)
10. “Words hurt. I have scars to prove it.”  Unknown
11. “The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.”  Peggy O’Mara
12. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but verbal abuse may never heal.”  Unknown
13. “Long-term verbal abuse can break people emotionally and mentally, make them unsure of themselves, unable to recognize their true value and unable to trust anyone or anything.”  Unknown
14. “A person can be so verbally abused that they don’t know what’s true anymore.”  Unknown
15. “Verbal abuse crushes your soul.”  Unknown
16. “The deepest scars are those we cannot see.”  Unknown (Words leave deep, angry scars, especially when they are repeated and began at an early age.  Just as physical wounds need to be tended and healed, sometimes requiring rehabilitation, wounds and scars from words need to be tended and healed, sometimes requiring counseling and professional help.)
17. “It takes a huge effort to free yourself from memory”  Paulo Coelho

~ Joanna Lynn