"Sticks and stones may break my bones..."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me," is a saying that I have heard my whole life. but not found to be be true. Literally words cannot physically break a bone or such, but words can be very damaging. I was the subject of cruel words for a season in middle school and I remember the pain and tears that came from those words. Words do have power because I witnessed it personally in my younger years. During this phase in my life I was quoted this from many people, but it never helped.