THE POWER OF WORDS.

She was beautiful, enthusiastic, full of life and energy but she was hurting deep down inside. Her mates, 13 year olds just like her had been cyber bullying her.They told her countless times that she was ugly and that she should drink bleach and die and even worse, that she did not deserve to live.She had been taking in all the hurt  for more than a year and was ostracized by her friends.She had a warm smile and her long,curled  black hair made her look ravishing every time. However, she wasn't cognizant of the fact that she was pretty. She's gone...now it's almost like she never even existed and to think that it was because her so called "best friend" as well as 15 other girls spoke words of pain into her angers me.Rebecca Sedwick jumped to her death from a tower at a nearby abandoned concrete plant.Why???

WORDS, WORDS, WORDS..............

I came back from my first semester of college (secondary school) and went to have some fun at a surprise party.Alfreda, is a 12 year old gorgeous young girl.It was her mother's surprise party and she was putting in her all to make sure that the guests were relaxed and happy.I monitored closely as she approached them....they were not less than 10 people. Not even letting her communicate to them what she had to, they began to call her "OBOLOOO" which means "FATZO"
I saw her expression drop and the radiant smile that was on her face seconds before disappeared.How do you think that made that feel? Insecured, hurt and alone but Why???

WORDS,WORDS,WORDS..................

There was a point in time in MY life when I had gained some weight.Coming back from school gave me lots of joy inside but that feeling evaporated after when even at church everyone was going like "NADIA, YOU'VE BECOME FAT OO".Feelings of insecurity began to step in.I would starve myself and burn 100s of calories on the treadmill.I was hurting inside.I felt I had lost the beauty God gave me and it affected my demeanor. 

Witnessing Alfreda's encounter with the adults who called her fat just put me off. She's living every day with a smile on her face but deep down inside we might not know what is happening.I had been smiling despite the pain and covered it all up.At a point, I did not want to take pictures with anyone because I did not want to see myself on their gadgets.

Please take some time and let your stream of consciousness operate here however, you must take note of the fact that these are everyday struggles of people broken by harsh words.

Imagine all those precious moments he let go of by rejecting that offer for a selfie.
Imagine those times she stayed quiet when she could have had a conversation that would have changed somebody's life or even hers for the better.
Imagine that day when he was so blue and could not concentrate on his studying  and ended up getting an E in the test.
Imagine that time she locked herself up in her room and tweeted depressing thoughts.
Imagine that day when he began cutting his wrists.
Imagine that day when she started taking overdoses of medicines.
Imagine that day when he decapitated himself.
Imagine that day when she hanged herself in her room.
Imagine that day when she climbed up that tower and let it all go....her life......her love.....her all


Now, you must reckon that these young and vibrant souls had been wounded by simple yet very powerful words.......even the name itself....."WORD".It aches right now knowing that a word can tear someone and a word can build another.Which word do you decide to speak into someone's life today?.We keep hearing the verse Proverbs 18:21 and we might think it's cliched but in actual fact, death and life do lie in the power of the tongue.The tongue, a powerful weapon is the means of transport for words which on their own carry a different realm of power.

"The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened:", Proverbs 12:6 says. Wicked people utter words that just bring about pain and destruction  however righteous people's utterances are the total contrast of wicked people's articulations.Choose who you're going to be today my brother.Make a choice between killing or pumping life into that person my dear sister.

Put a smile on that person's face by speaking words of LIFE, HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT,APPRECIATION AND GODLINESS.

• If you're a parent, acknowledge the fact that your child is prepossessing and find out your child's talent and help to build it up.
• If you're a teacher, make that student know that despite the fact that he or she us getting Es, he or she can make it through and BE there as much as you can. 
• If you're a friend, offer support to your hurting friend and speak positive words.
• Create a group and send verses of encouragement to the members if you can.

All the best on your journey to preventing someone from taking his or her life.God bless you.



Nadia Baye.