Forget Flying

I like superheroes.

I especially like Superman.  Super strong.  Super fast.  Heat vision.  X-ray vision.  Cold breath.  And, in case that wasn’t enough, he can fly!

“Super” seems so inadequate to describe the guy.

Funny thing is, as much as I like Superman’s powers (and those of other superheroes), I have discovered a power that is far greater.

Words.

Kind words spoken in love and with the purpose of affirming and building up another.

You might say, “you’re just now getting that?”. Well, super-insight has never been a power I claimed.

So what brought me to understand the power of a word spoken to encourage and support?

It was an exercise I was invited to participate in during a team meeting while in Russia.

The exercise was quite simple; just write a line or two about each person on the team. What did we appreciate about the person?  What did we learn from them? What did we see in them or through them.  It’s likely you may have engaged in such an exercise.  I suspect I had prior to this particular sharing.

Still, as I wrote about my teammates, I found myself reflecting on many of the good memories we had made while visiting the children at the orphanage.  I thought about our silliness.  I recalled our triumphs.  I remembered how we had overcome this or that.  I wrote to each one something I appreciated about them.  And it felt good.

Each person had a paper with their name on it, so each of our statements were directed to a specific person.  In the end we all got our own papers back and were able to read what others had said to and about us.

Have you ever read a half dozen paragraphs affirming who you are and what you do?  Have you ever?  I pull out the sheet every once in a while and read back through it to be reminded I’m super.  I am.  And so are you.

In fact, I want to tell you we don’t need super strength or the ability to fly to change the world or to impact a life, all we need is the energy it takes to share a few nice words with each other.  Does that sound too touchy-feely or simple-minded?  I think it does a bit and yet I know it to be true.  I know it and I hope to do more to live it.

Isn’t that the funny thing about real power?  It is often disguised as weakness and foolishness.  I think the “real” Super Man, or at least His followers, said much the same.

Hope you get to share a kind word today and I hope you receive a few as well.

Life is better together,
Shawn