Words: The most powerful weapon

As someone who loves writing, I cannot help but emphasize on the value of words. What we say, how we say, can make or break our lives. Published works, in particular, have the power to initiate radical changes in societies. Numerous examples in history have proved that the pen is mightier than the sword. In India, newspapers contributed a great deal to the attainment of freedom. Words can be poison or antidote, sugar sweet or sharp as a sword. A sword will kill you, but words can turn your life into a living hell. The sentence "I love you" makes want to jump, whereas "I hate you" from a dear one could make you crawl into a hole you might never come out from. Both sentences are just combinations of three words, but the "love and "hate" makes all the difference in the world.

Written words can transport people to places they've never been, or places which don't exist. I am partial to fantasy, and think that being able to create an imaginary world and make people believe in it is not easy, but not impossible either. In books such as the Alchemist, Paulo Coelho describes the journey through the desert. Even while narrating a story orally, your words have the ability to make people feel as if they are characters in the story. Of course, it all depends on your story telling skills.

Choose your words wisely. Your words can someone make someone feel good, so don't loose opportunities to brighten someones day. When it comes to kids, their minds are like wet cement. So, be careful before using abusive language in the presence of kids!

No one's words are worthless. Each one of us has the power to change the world through our words.

The Eyes say it all

In today’s technology-driven age, face-to-face interaction has dwindled. Who after all, wants to walk down the road to meet a friend who chats with you almost every day on Facebook? Before I begin, I’ll make it clear that I use Facebook every day and do not claim to be the most active person in the Universe. But my point is that intimacy levels have changed with this change in the nature of interaction. Today’s generation understands a direct “I am so angry!!!!” (while chatting online) better than the flash of anger in a person’s eyes. Non-verbal communication has lost its importance, and though we still use it extensively I think that in the years to come we will fail to interpret facial expressions and body language. I may not be an expert; however I do think that it is necessary.

Our eyes are the principal traitors that disclose what is on our mind. Breaking eye contact without realizing it can give your lie away. When you pretend to be angry with a friend after an argument, your eyes, mouth and words speak completely different stories! Your parent or your best friend can often tell what is going on in your mind, as they know your expressions as well as they know the back of their hands. The cliché “Actions speak louder than words” is a universal truth, believe it or not. A genuine smile is different from a wan smile. Sometimes out of polite courtesy we downplay or slightly overplay our interest in a particular book, movie, restaurant, etc., but our eyes and tone of voice unconsciously express our interest or disinterest. When we are surprised, our eyes widen and our jaw drops open. They are tiny signs with huge relevance. These subtle forms of communication; and our ability to read them is what make us human. After all, poker faces are no fun at all!