Wrinkly Words

by Cyn Rogalski

He who mocks the poor shows contempt…
Proverbs 17:5

Hot tears stung Poindexter’s eyes as he slowly trudged home. He was used to being the object of the other kids teasing, but today he just let it out and let them have it. He used words he knew he shouldn’t, and he felt sick inside.

When he entered the house, his mom knew he was troubled. “Want to talk?”she asked as she offered him a glass of milk.

He shook his head, not trusting his voice.

Mom crumbled up a piece of paper. “Our words leave marks on us and others, just like the marks on this piece of paper. Some marks are crooked, and some are straight.” She opened up the paper and smoothed it out to show him. “When we say mean things or have them said to us, we are like this piece of paper. We can still be useful, but we will never be the same as a new piece of paper.”

Mom folded another piece of paper in half, then in half again. She opened it up and folded it twice more the other way.

“See how these straight lines form a pattern? These straight lines are encouraging words.” Mom smiled. With four little cuts and two pieces of tape, she made a basket. “If your good words become a pattern, you can hold blessings to give to others.”

O Lord, let my words bless others, not tear them down.