“Speech is the mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is. ~Publilius Syrus

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” ~Jesus Christ

Much of today was spent at the airport in Raleigh, North Carolina.  My flight, scheduled to depart at 2:40 p.m. was pushed back to 7:30 p.m.  I arrived at the airport around 12:30 p.m. and after taking off my shoes, putting my luggage, lap top and purse through an x- ray machine and getting a full body scan, I received a call from an automated assistant to inform me that my flight had been cancelled.  So, I attempted to create a schedule for the additional five hours that I would spend there.

I toured the shops and even found a used bookstore, where I purchased Einstein on Race and Racism at a good price.  I had modest lunch and later an unhealthy but absolutely delicious dinner.  I had begun to watch a movie on my laptop when I stopped to ponder about what others had done with their unexpected additional time.  Most were talking, communicating in one form or another.

I thought, What do we do with our words?  And more importantly, what do they do with us?  When I think about race, I can’t help but think of all of the words that have been wasted– used to hate, judge, condemn and kill.  Words that could have been used to love, forgive, extend grace and to reconcile.  We use words as if there will always be more.  We make no plans for them neither do we assume that those we speak to have a plan of their own for which our words can cause a detour.  We can literally undo a life with our tongues.

Tonight, I am reminded of the importance of words, what we say to ourselves and about others when it comes to race.  Though they are words leftover from history and their plans should stay there, we continue to waste our time with them.  Don’t waste your words on race.  Speak wisely.