It's words that hurt the most

I've been talking to a friend recently, who has struggled with body image for a long time. I feel as though I've failed her. She's been getting better recently, and then today, boom. A few choice words from her mother and things are worse than ever. Words are so powerful that way. So hurtful. Especially from those we love and trust.

Unfortunately, the negative words always seem to have more power than the positive. So the hour of positive that I've been pounding into her seems to be for naught. Worst of all, the choices her mother made when speaking to her have now destroyed her image of the one thing that my friend did like about her image.

I've been friends with this person for going on five years now, and I feel as though I've failed her. I want to scream at her parents. I want to drive to her house and talk to her and get her to listen to what I'm saying. To get her to look in a mirror and see what I see.

Words. Such potential to hurt and destroy. But also to heal. And to inspire change. We just need to find the positive potential and use that instead. I think that if we were more aware that words are our greatest weapons, kids wouldn't be so cruel. Parents wouldn't be so inconsiderate. Friends would be more careful. And things like this wouldn't happen so tragically often.

Wow, way to end on a positive note. (Not)

-T.A.D.