You are smart. You are kind. You are beautiful. Believe it.
Believe it, because words are potent! They are healers, weapons, bridges, and tools for transformation. According to Ethnologue, there are more than 7100 languages spoken in the world today. And in every one of these languages, thoughts are encoded into sounds or symbols, which are passed through ears or eyes and interpreted into meaning. It's nothing short of miraculous, if you think about it!
And words tell stories. Only in the retelling do our experiences gain substance. What was ephemeral finds expression in words. In this way, language gives our lives permanence. It has formed laws and started and ended wars. Entire civilizations have been built on words (case in point: our own Constitution). Through language, we certify important passages, as in "I now pronounce you man and wife"... or, timely right now: "You are now an official graduate--here, take this written diploma that proves it!" (We've got a few of those at our house... proud parent moments!) Words have a sealing, finalizing quality.