Image courtesy of diaryofafirstchild.com
Sticks and stones were thrown at me,
A diatribe of pain.
I believed, and in belief
I bruised myself again.
Sticks and stones were thrown at me
I questioned and I scoffed –
Stood my ground with shield in place;
Deflected, they bounced off.
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm…” Ephesians 6:11 NLT
Meanwhile, Melody Muses... 
NIce poem, Melody. The older I get, the more I realize that people’s opinions (including my own) are just a bunch of words with no inherent weight or meaning.
It depends on who says them. If the source is near and dear to your heart, they are much less easily ignored…
Great poem, Mel. Holding you up in prayer today.
Thanks!
Great poem. “Deflected, they bounced off”…but it would’ve been better if the sticks and stones hadn’t come your way to begin with. Civility is what’s needed.
Yes – but this is reality. This is the real world. And our words can be powerful, both for good and evil. I am learning – the hard way, as do we all. As a mom, it is hard to see the sticks and stones in the air, isn’t it?
Nice poem, Melody. I think as people get older, they grow armor to protect themselves against words. Still, words do hurt me and I’ve seen first-hand how they can wound children in ways that take so long to heal. I wish words would only hurt if I let them.
So true. I think to say “Don’t let them hurt you’ is too big a burden to place on a young child. It denies that our feelings of pain and helplessness are real and valid. Every parent has to deal with playground tears – and I’m afraid I haven’t always given my children the actual skills they needed to build the right kind of armour. But wishing I could go back does nothing…Going on from here is everything!
God’s armor gives us so much strength outside as well as inside as I’ve already experienced in my short life.
Sticking to your beliefs, that’s always a must for ones integrity.
Lovely poem, Melody. I wish I was a bit smarter to really absorb your poetry at it’s true value.
What beautiful words… Thank you, Petro. You are much smarter than me – reading and writing in another language is beyond my skills; never sell yourself short!