The Power of a Positive Word

June 5, 2026

Tim Lineaweaver, Author

It was over forty years ago, and it lasted only a few seconds, but I remember it vividly and still feel the positive vibes it generated. I'd just gotten sober, but was getting divorced, was dead broke, and lonely. 

Anyone near me could feel my despair; it was palpable, enveloping me like a pernicious fog. My using friends had jumped ship, not wanting to be around this strange new version of myself. My ex hated me. I couldn't have felt more alone.

Shuffling down the street, I bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen for a while, as he'd moved out of our small Cape Cod village a few years prior. We'd had a lot of fun together before my addictions took root and started to destroy my health and well-being. 

Despite my present depressed state, I couldn't suppress a smile. "Hey Timmy, it's great to see you." He threw his arm around my neck and pulled me in for a warm bro' hug. "I heard you've been going through a lot, and I just want to tell you I hope something good happens for you. You deserve it!"

Those three sentences took him only a few seconds to utter, but the encouragement at my lowest point helped me see that, despite my struggles and the feeling that I was alone with them, there was someone who wanted better for me.

The next couple of years were a rocky fight: lengthy cravings, a custody battle, and the IRS wanting back taxes. When I felt overwhelmed, and the idea of returning to my old ways started to lure me in, I'd reflect on that simple interaction with my old buddy. Maybe I did deserve something good to happen? If he still cared about me and wished me well, maybe I could find the strength and resilience to care about myself.

And so I kept going forward, and eventually good things started to happen for me. I stayed clean and sober, dug out of debt, worked my way through undergraduate and graduate school, and started a career helping others struggling with trauma and addictions. I met a wonderful woman and have had a happy marriage and family life that continues to thrive today.

Words are powerful things. My father's verbal abuse reduced me to a constant state of self-loathing and self-destructiveness. Though he's been dead for forty-seven years, on my bad days, his invective still rattles around my brain. But positive words like the ones my friend uses can make a huge difference, and the beauty is that they cost nothing but a few moments to say. If you know someone who is struggling, take a few seconds to encourage them and wish them well. It could make a huge difference.

Reprinted with permission from Tim's website Wreckrage to Recovery https://timlineaweaver.substack.com