Language has power. Power to motivate or knock down, to praise or destroy. And sometimes it is all unintended. Take, for example, what we call folks who are elderly. "Sweetie" and "Dear" and such, diminutives like those you might use for a child. There is an article in today's' NY Times about a study that says those seemingly innocuous phrases are actually harmful to the elderly! Were you never called a name as a child in the schoolyard? Or as adult in the office or the park? If you are not among the elderly, put yourself there for a moment. Wear the shoes, leg pains and all. "Sweetie"? "Dear"? Maybe not.
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