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The Power of Words



 



In a place far, far away there lived an old, bag woman who was revered by the townsfolk; she was known for making predictions about the people of the town. The people believed her words; whatever she spoke about a person would somehow come true. The young and the old alike would come from both far and near to hear her speak her prophecies.



The townspeople would gather around her as she rocked in her old rocking chair. After a minute or two she would begin to hum, quietly she'd get up from her chair, walk over to the old kettle stove, reach into her pockets and pull out 3 mint leaves, drop them into the pot and begin to stir the boiling water. Then she would speak her prophecies to the memerized crowds. The people


believed her words and sat spellbound in her presence as she spoke. And sure enough, her words would eventually be fulfilled.



One day, two young girls from the same side of town went to visit the old, bag woman. The girls wanted insight concerning who they would one day become. Both girls were excitedly optimistic to hear what she would say. The girls eagerly walked the 2 miles to reach the old woman's house.


The old lady's house was just as they'd imagined it to be. As they entered her home the older woman quietly sat in her rocking chair staring at the young girls. "I've been expecting you,'' she said. The floor creaked back and forth as the woman continued rocking in her chair as she quietly began to hum. "What will we be--" one girl started to ask but the old woman interjected "Shhh!" 


Suddenly, the old woman quickly got up from her rocking chair, headed towards the old, kettle stove, reached into her pocket, pulled out 3 mint leaves, dropped them into the pot of water and began to stir the water. Next, the woman began her horrific tale of what awaited the girls in the future. The girl's excitement quickly turned into dismay as the woman spoke. Pointing at the two girls as she glared at them she said "You will both be desolate. You will become nothing, nobody. It will be as if you never existed." Devastated, both girls ran away from the old woman's house.  "It isn't true, we can be anything we want to be. We can be anything if we just believe" one girl said. But the other girl burst into tears and cried "How can you say that, everything that she has said has come true!" 


The two girls parted ways and walked to their respective homes. One little girl refused to listen to the prophecy, instead she chose to believe that only she could determine what she would become, she passionately believed she could be anything that she wanted to be. She vowed that she would make her wildest dreams come true. But the other young girl treasured the woman's words. She adamantly believed the words the old, bag woman spoke would come true. 


The years flew by and the two girls became women. The young girl who disregarded the old woman's words grew up to become a powerful, young woman. But the other woman who valued the old woman's words fulfilled the words that were spoken by the old woman. 


Was the old, bag woman really able to predict the future? No, she was not. She had no special power or ability to know the unknown. Her power came from the people's belief in her words. Because of their belief, her words became self fulfilling prophecies. 


Words are powerful, words are transformative, words have the power to bring life or death to every situation. What words have been spoken over you?  Are you cherishing the words of "the old bag lady" of your life? Were you told you would never make it? Maybe no one spoke these words to you, instead you said these things to yourself. How long have you been captive to this cryptic spell?


You can live the best version of your life just like the little girl who decided to change her narrative by believing anything was possible. If there is no one to speak encouraging words to you, speak encouraging words to yourself. I want to challenge you to love yourself. Say a positive affirmation everyday. Remember to find your voice-- the one that says "You can do this!" I want you to know that nothing's impossible. I've started my journey to finding my voice, won't you join me? Let's take this path together. Ready. Set. Unmute.


















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