With February being “I Love to Read” month, it seems fitting that the Hanover School Board’s meeting on February 1st started with a look at the power of words.

The school board held its meeting with half the people attending virtually via Zoom.

Trustee Shannon Friesen chose to open the meeting by talking about the value of reading a good book.

“Reading a good book can help with stress reduction, mental stimulation, knowledge, memory improvement, improved focus, tranquility, and it can also improve our vocabulary expansion and writing skills,” Friesen says. “We can also experience stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, low confidence if we allow ourselves to be attracted to negative reading material.”

She then shifts from books to words, and the power of words.

“Words are important as they connect people to stories, conversations and other people. Each day, people of all ages are listening to words, speaking words, reading words, writing words and playing with words. The average 3-year-old has heard at least 3 million words before entering pre-school. Words are powerful and they are the critical piece that connects reading to writing in everything we do.”

She goes on to say that many times, people are careless with their words.

“Words can hold so much power, yet they can have a direct impact on the outcome of a situation, creating a helpful or hurtful reaction in our world,” says Friesen. “In fact, all of our words have impact. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to encourage, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.”

HSD Trustee Shannon Friesen holds a paper heart to demonstrate the impact of negative words.

Friesen provided a demonstration with a paper heart, saying that “our hearts hear words that are hurtful or belittling. Some words are done behind our backs or on social media, our hearts start to wither, to fold, to crinkle.”

Trustees watched as Friesen crinkled the paper heart.

“So, even if "sorry" is said, words have a lasting effect,” she says. “No matter how hard I try, or how many apologies are said, I am unable to smooth out this heart. The hurt may fade over time but a person's heart will never really be the same, and scars can remain a lifetime.”

Friesen says that while this teaching visual is probably used a lot in classrooms for children, she believes it should be applied to adults as well.

“Times have been tough on many (people), for various reasons,” she says, and follows that with a few questions to consider. “How are your conversations? The words you speak within your home, your families, or in your workplace, or in our schools? Are we hurting people with what we say, or are we careful and choosing to say positive words, even when in disagreeance? And maybe, sometimes, words are better left unsaid.”