Historically, words have been powerful weapons. A well known quote goes, “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword”. Some of the most powerful agents of change has been the written word. A case in point is the Holy Bible; the most read book in the world and the countless number of lives it has changed.

But now, words have withered in importance. Rather than carefully considered and thought of responses, many of us are almost guilty of reducing words into vague and non-intrusive heuristics. Rather than respect the power of language to change, destroy, emphasize and even edify, we have reduced language to a realm of civil platitudes.

The result of all this is that no one listens. Over the years, as we have whittled away at the importance of language and the care given to communicating, we have as a consequence stopped listening. We hear the words, we feel the gist and they brush off us with an equally unthought of response. Do we actually listen?

It is no wonder then, that there is an increasing sense of isolation and alienation. It’s not the advent of technology that does that, but it’s the denegration of language and the measured and considered response to it.

The last time someone passed you in the corridor and you asked, “How are you”, when was the last time you meant it? When was the last time you were prepared to receive the answer to the question and really listen to the person?

Three words, “How are you”, if taken seriously, can ease the unseen burden of a person, it can serve to minister and edifiy. It can equally serve to spread a joy that is waiting to be shared. That is, if the person who asked, “How are you” really meant it, thought about what was being said and asked it very deliberately and the person hearing those words took it at heart and actually knew that you cared and was prepared to listen to the response.

How are you?

DD