In the quaint town of Willow Creek, resided a man named Mr. Aristides, renowned for his razor-sharp tongue. His words were like daggers, piercing through the hearts of those who crossed his path.
Aristides reveled in his ability to belittle and humiliate others. He saw it as a form of entertainment, a way to assert his superiority. His victims ranged from hapless villagers to the town’s esteemed mayor.
‘You’re a mere shadow of a man, barely capable of tying your own shoelaces,’ he would sneer at the timid baker.
‘Your leadership is as feeble as a newborn kitten,’ he would mock the mayor, sending a ripple of unease through the town hall.
Aristides’s words cut deep, leaving scars that took years to heal. But as the years passed, his venomous tongue began to take its toll on him.
One day, as he was delivering a particularly scathing tirade against the town’s physician, he felt a sharp pain in his throat. It was as if a thousand tiny needles were piercing his vocal cords.
To his horror, Aristides discovered that he had lost his ability to speak. His once-sharp tongue had become a useless appendage.
At first, he was furious. How could he possibly live without his most prized weapon? But as the days turned into weeks, a realisation dawned upon him.
His sharp tongue had been a double-edged sword. It had wounded others, but it had also poisoned his own soul. He had become a bitter and isolated man, trapped within his own venomous words.
In a desperate attempt to atone for his past, Aristides sought out those he had wronged. He wrote heartfelt letters of apology, expressing his remorse and asking for forgiveness.
Some accepted his plea, while others remained unforgiving. But regardless of their response, Aristides knew that he had to change.
He spent the rest of his days in silence, contemplating the power of words. He realised that true strength lay not in sharp barbs but in gentle whispers.
And so, the man with the sharp tongue ultimately stung only himself, leaving behind a legacy that served as a cautionary tale about the corrosive effects of unkind speech.
Worldwide Temple of Aurora 