The Power of Words

“You’re an accident waiting to happen.”

That’s what the woman said to my son as she helped him gather his skis and poles after he fell.

It caught me off guard. Not because she meant any harm—she probably didn’t—but because of how easily words like that can stick, especially with kids.

We grow up being told to listen to authority, to respect our elders. But what if the words we hear aren’t true? What if they don’t reflect who we actually are?

In this case, they didn’t. My son can ski. He’s still learning (aren’t we all?), but he’s in control. His skis got caught in the heavy snow, sending them one way and his body another. It happens. Even to the best skiers.

If he had taken her words to heart, though, that moment could have become more than just a fall. He might have started to believe it—I’m an accident waiting to happen. A small comment, but one that could quietly chip away at his confidence, his self-esteem. Over time, it could shape how he sees himself, and how he moves through the world.

And for what? A snap judgment. A passing remark.

Luckily, he told me about it. We talked it through—both the skiing part and how to handle people who might misread a situation and slap a label on him that doesn’t belong.

But it made me wonder: What if he hadn’t told me? What if he kept it inside, embarrassed, and let it shape how he sees himself? Maybe he’d hesitate more on the slopes. Maybe he’d lose a little of that natural, easy confidence. Maybe, over time, it would spill into other parts of his life.

Words have weight. And sometimes, we don’t even realize the impact they have.

"What are some words you’ve been carrying—words you should have never believed in the first place?"