The Power of Words

Words are the smallest things that carry the biggest weight. A single sentence can lift someone up or knock them down for years. This week's quotes — from a Nobel-winning poet to an ancient Chinese teacher — help kids see their own words as one of the most powerful tools they own.

Rudyard Kipling

> Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

British author of The Jungle Book, 1865–1936

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Maya Angelou

> Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.

American poet and civil rights leader, 1928–2014

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Pearl Strachan Hurd

> Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.

British politician, 20th century

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Emily Dickinson

> A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.

American poet, 1830–1886

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Confucius

> Silence is a true friend who never betrays.

Chinese teacher and philosopher, 551–479 BCE

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Try This at Home or in the Classroom

Ask: "What's the kindest thing anyone has ever said to you? Do you remember exactly what they said?" That's the power of words in action.

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