What color is to life

What light is to flame

Intonation is to words

A very commonly asked question is what should we concentrate more on?

Words or Intonation.

Let me put it this way, if words are the body, intonation is the shadow. Intonation cannot be physically touched, but its presence cannot be ignored. They will always move together and their presence too will be felt together.

Together they create the perfect recipe, which is meant to satisfy the other person.

The meaning of well-intended words can change because of the intonation. The impact can be so cascading, that we can say the shadow is at its maximum.

Simple words can have a monumental impact, if the intonation is correct. Here the shadow is at its minimum.

Let us say a phrase as simple and positive like

“God Bless You”

Can make the other person shift uncomfortably or feel blessed.

It depends on the intonation used.

The other day my friend replied to a certain conversation by saying

“Perfect”.

A simple word, but the way she said it was clear that we are going to continue the conversation for a long time. As I felt that she needed someone to talk to. The message conveyed from the single word was 100 times longer than the word itself.

Next time in a conversation, be mindful of what is longer the word or the shadow.

I would love to know more about your such experiences where you felt the shadow or the intonation was longer.