FB post shows the magic that words can weave

By Gurpreet Chawla

I’m a member of an FB group on travel. One of its members recently posted: “Need someone to be with my father on his birthday in New Delhi. I can pay 5–8$ per hour for the time spent.”

The FB post didn’t receive a positive response but sarcastic comments.

Three days later, it again appeared, but in different words.

“I am currently working in Australia and have to attend a business meeting in Ireland that cannot be postponed. On the same day is my father’s birthday, who is all alone living in Delhi.
I need someone to be with him for some time to celebrate his birthday. All expenses will be taken care of.”

There was a huge response to her new FB post and many people volunteered to be with her old father, even without any consideration.

What made the difference?

The same message conveyed differently made an enormous difference.

If she had not posted the message after modification, her old father would have received a bouquet and a cake from an online ordering portal.

But would be without any company to celebrate the occasion. Imagine an old man staring at his birthday cake.

It would have aggrieved his pain of aloneness further, rather than making him joyful on his birthday.

It is not What we say, but How we say that makes the difference.

Communication is more than words and sentences. For the desired impact, it should have a tone and an intent. Tone conveys emotions and thoughts. The intent coveys the sincerity of the one writing.

Words are powerful. They can make someone’s world and destroy someone’s.

Choose carefully not what to say but how to say it.

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