W O R D S

The Power of Words

Feb 07, 2026

Words are powerful. In this age of double speak and viral memes, they are as important as ever. Those who have studied literature know what a lasting effect well-conceived words can have. We remember what people have said to us for a lifetime. Today is my mother’s birthday, and she would have been over 100 years old. We choose to honor those who have gone before us with words upon their passing and in biographies and stories. We write our own memoirs to document this precious thing called life.

The encouraging words of my mom have sustained in the 30 years since she passed. I was much too young to lose a mother and our children, a grandmother.

And it is in words and pictures that we often remember people. The word grace often comes to mind when I think of my mother, and it is a quality that I strive to embody. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines grace as fluidity, elegance, charm, propriety, controlled, polite, having good manners and in Christianity, it reflects God’s favor, mercy and blessing. My mother’s life expressed all these qualities.

A couple of decades ago, at a high school reunion, a classmate told me that I had always been gracious. I had never thought about it. I don’t think the word means to be a milk-toasty, undisciplined approver of everything. One can have grace and principles. One can have grace and hold the line. I often wonder what my mother would think of today’s world. Although grace comes to mind, I associate other words with her: intellect, creativity, kindness, and discernment. She had a deep sense of kindness and justice. She was a serious student. If I brought a book home, she’d read it before I realized it. She studied current events. She had a deep faith in God, and yet her practice was often private. She was an ardent supporter of the arts and a capable, charming hostess.

Drawings for awardrobe she designed and sewed, a floral painting by my mother, camping

I cherish what I had and realize how very blessed I was to have such a loving and supportive person in my life. I see struggles caused by the absence of a strong female role model. I have also learned how powerful other role models can be. One doesn’t have to be a mother to influence; aunts, teachers, and friends often provide guidance, support and offer grace to the lives they touch. Christa McAuliffe’s (Challenger astronaut and teacher) famous quote, “I touch the future. I teach,” encapsulates the profound impact that educators have in shaping the lives of students.

We often refer to grace in the arts. In Greek mythology, the three graces, daughters of Zeus, each bestowed a gift: mirth, elegance, and youth and beauty. Our lives are forever changed by the graceful design of a painting or piece of furniture, a passage of music, the moves of a dancer or athlete, and the character of an actor. We must respect grace on and off the stage, court or playing field. We can all think of outrageous examples of ungracious behavior.

My challenge today is to remember those who exhibit grace. What artworks, pieces of music, literature and performances exemplify grace to you?