Our Aims

The Power of Words

Power: control, authority, domination, influence, command or simply the ability or competence to use words wisely.

Words are the most potent weapon in the armoury of mankind: the very first thing a child hears when he enters the world. The most comforting thing a child can hear, the words of a parent or grandparent. Children grow hearing the words of family members, but sadly not every child hears those which are kindly or wise.

Yes words hurt, cause pain, whether intentional or not, it happens. We argue, forgive, shout, chastise a child, leave a marriage, moan at a mate. Often we regret words spoken in anger or haste.

In the 21st century everything appears to require a label. There are words and phrases in use today which did not exist when I was middle aged let alone young: unconscious bias, race baiting, virtue signaling, woke, non-binary, instagram, influencer.

Anonymous, keyboard warriors spit their venom: criticise, condemn, bully. Is it surprising schoolchildren suffer mental health issues when bullies utilise phones and the internet. There is pressure to conform, follow the herd, keep up with the latest trends, all fueled with words. Homework and a lost beret were the only things I had to worry about at school. Yes there were bullies, but in an all girls convent school it was subtle and easier to ignore, or you developed a thick skin.

On the flip side words are magical: books, songs, films and plays all transport us to other worlds in which to lose ourselves for a few hours. Those who never discover or understand the joy of a good book are missing so much. The ability to explore the future or the past, experience the lives of others, listen to good music and sing along even if you’re not sure of the lyrics. There’s always music playing at home, I cannot write unless there is a musical accompaniment. Anything from Ella Fitzgerald and The Rat Pack, everything from the 50’s and 60’s, the music I grew up with and will always love.

Ours was the house all the boys’ mates came to. There was always conversation, and often the mates came bearing gifts. One lad used to make me cassette tapes of classical music and I still have them. When home-schooling there were days full of words. Sometimes frustrated, exasperated words, but we always finished the day with afternoon tea. One son loved books from the start, but never read fiction, he read for information and to this day has a phenomenal memory. One son hated reading until he discovered biographies, then he absorbed everyone from Tina Turner to The Krays and still prefers people to stories. My late husband loved the classics and read amongst others Dickens, Dumas and Walter Scott. When he was ill I introduced him to Bernard Cornwell and Patrick O’Brien, he read everything of theirs he could get his hands on.

So has this random waffle shown me anything? Yup. Think before you open your gob and there’s less chance of hurting someone’s feelings. In an ever changing world it’s women who actually hold things together even if some politicians are unable to say what actually constitutes a woman in 2023. Perhaps that’s not surprising when a bloke complete with twig and berries and no boobs models a ladies swimsuit. We know what we are and it’ll take more than a bloke who’s just a cock in a frock to change that.

Jill Smith