It’s been awhile since I invested any significant time in watching music videos. Days of planting myself in front of the TV for hours at a time are long gone as are the days before MTV and Vh1 became reality TV central instead of the vessels of music and artistry they once claimed to be. Still, every now and then a video will, by some other method, catch my eye.
As did the video for “My Kind of Love” by Emeli Sandé (directed by Sanji Senaka). In the song, Emeli belts out lyrics about how she might not be everything her loved one thinks she ought to be. She can’t buy their love. She can’t promise them the stars. She’s not a fun party girl. She admits that sometimes she gets angry and says things she doesn’t mean, but they should never doubt her love for them. It’s that latter confession about her anger around which the video builds its concept.
The video depicts hurtful words literally as bullets fired from the mouths of people who are seemingly frustrated or enraged. These words, aimed at their subjects, cause physical wounds that will most likely (at the very least) leave scars behind.
Powerful, right?
If you could see the effect your hurtful words have on your family, your friends, and your loved ones… if you could see the permanent injury and scars negativity, criticism, insults, so-called jokes, and name-calling left behind… If those words were bullets… Would you be more thoughtful in your word choice? Would you withhold unsolicited opinions and comments? Would you think twice about engaging in a yelling match over something trivial? Maybe hold your peace until your anger or hurt subsides?
Words are powerful. They can encourage and build someone up but they can also discourage and cut someone down. They can instill fear. They sometimes can cause more pain than an uppercut to the jaw.
Being the most rude isn’t a prize. Being the loudest doesn’t make you strong. Having the most crass vocabulary doesn’t make you cool. Being belligerent doesn’t get your point across. Please be kind. Be thoughtful. Be positive. Be peaceful. Be uplifting.
Whoever was the first person to say “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”… was in denial.
-Love and Light… CB Radio
Photo Credit: Teo Studio, retouched by Kendrick Wong
What would you do if you could see the affect your words have?
life. love. & such... 