THE WORD WE SPEAK

I think that everybody agree with this phrase “ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORD”. The phrase is so active in people who like to show their capacity through their action. In my part, I can say that I’m not really verbal. I seldom express my capacities through words. I sometimes even find talking with people, a boring business. Words for me have earned some negative impact. A lot of times, I’ve seen lots of people contradicting each other just because of bad words. Words almost all the time are bad; they are a source of conflict; people use words to curse, humiliate and fool others; words are just noise. Actions on the other hand is silent, effective more concrete and more appreciated. Praise God! I’m so active; I can easily adapt; I am not sickly. I must celebrate for not being so expressive in words! But I sense I have missed a very important message why God create sounds and words.
Since I have been joined with TALENTA SCHOOL as a teacher, I find myself confronting and dealing with the real capacity of words. The students here are so active and fully alive. Action is almost a history for these students. They talk, study, play, long… very long. These students have found the gift that words can offers. The capacity of words to express their need in very soothing manner; the capacity of words to bring laughter; the capacity to bring back life once energetic and strong body thru their stories; the capacity to make one’s life a mirror for others; it is by these capacities that word is just a useless and hostile noise. It is also by these capacities why word became an instrument of affection, clarity, hope, love and many more.
In my little experience of life, I have almost lost faith in words, words that punished me a lot. People said bad word to me; I seldom heard good ones. I said bad words to people; I seldom spoke good ones. I’ve heard much of what I don’t like to hear; I’ve not spoken what I wanted to speak. I’ve been struggling for words; words to say and hear. Words have been a symbol of my weakness. But now these TALENTA STUDENTS have become symbols and signs of faith in words. The word that hurts, is the same word that heals. The words that offers hatred is the word that gives love. Now, I understand that word is powerful as action.

I remember what a student grade 8 told me. He said, “When you’re talking in front of the class, I feel I have no more fear to express myself in words.” Then I realized that the essence of being a teacher is to actualize the word into action. Action to say myself with words and do what I say, so that my word not trap by slogan “ NATO” (No Action, Talk Only). Indeed nobody wants to be in one of that big trap and Sydne J. Harris, a great motivator, always remind us that “No one should pay attention to a man delivering a lecture or a sermon on his ‘philosophy of life’ until we know exactly how he treats his wife, his children, his neighbors, his friends, his subordinates and his enemies.” What is in that sound that can give so much hope? A sound that is articulated by the tongue, comes out of the mouth, fills the air and fades away. Fades away . . . and absorbed by the heart.