We listen to and read words all of our lives, and at some point some of us begin looking at words beyond their simple meanings. Some words actually sound and look like what they mean, I believe “careful” or “carefully” are those kind of words. Maybe I am a little strange to see words the way I do, but for me, words are visual and auditory. I like words that both sound like and look like what they are supposed to mean. It may all be in my head, but don’t you think “carefully” looks and sounds like what it means? Likewise, “obnoxious” and “awkward” are two more examples of words that sound like their meaning.
Most words, however, have both a positive and a negative connotation. In written form the positive or negative meaning comes out in relation to the other words surrounding it. In spoken conversation, the positive or negative may be revealed in the intonation as well as in relation to its surrounding words.
Sometimes, I will hear a word that makes me curious, and I may end up saying it over and over again just because I like the way it sounds and feels as it comes out of mouth. My wife likes the name of Joaquin Murrieta, and she will hear it on the radio or wherever and end up repeating it over and over. From the joyful look on her face, you would think she had just popped her favorite, sweet chocolate in her mouth.
Careful is primarily a cautionary word. As children, the first few years of our lives we are cautioned to be careful what you are doing, be careful that you don’t fall and get hurt, be careful not to spill, be careful that you don’t knock that over, etc. Then the next fifty or sixty years, we are telling our children and grand- children those very same things. When we are elderly, we hear the same things we heard in our youth directed at us again; this time around, we are hearing them from our children and maybe even our grandchildren.
The word can be used in both negative and positive connotations. “If you are smart and plan carefully, you will have enough money to retire when the time comes.” “If you are not careful with your money, you will be broke before you can retire.” A form of the word “careful” is used in each sentence so that when “not” is added—one is positive and the other is negative or at least becomes a warning. There are people who nearly always see things from a negative view and express themselves that way. Others usually see things in a positive way, and they, too, express themselves that way.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “A man is usually more careful of his money than he is of his principles.” Careful is generally built-in to most people’s very fiber. Yet it is amazing how quickly a person can cast their “careful” aside when they are influenced by a more powerful personality figure, by alcohol, drugs or by the influence of a crowd. In all of these situations, people tend to lose their normal personalities along with their good sense, their “careful.” They essentially become or pretend to be someone else. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. said it well, “Be careful what you pretend to be, because you are what you pretend to be.” Maybe that could be softened somewhat to say, you might become what you pretend to be.
We must always have our “careful” guard up because we are very vulnerable when it is down. The scriptures tell us that when we have lost our “careful,” even temporarily, that “Satan will take thee by the hand and ‘carefully’ lead thee down to hell.” Satan obviously uses “careful” to enhance his purposes as well. We have to hold our “careful” close to us, keep it well oiled and maintained; we may even want to buff it to keep it shiny. The more often we maintain it, the more aware of it we become and the more value we will place on it.