sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me

i would like to say that the above phrase is utterly false.
words do hurt.
especially when said in spite. or malice. or intentionally to affect others' emotions adversely.
Eg. insults.

words with awful content can happen under 2 circumstances:
1. those who harbour ill intentions or are just bu shuang with you in someway (Eg. your enemy)
2. those who truly care and sincerely wants you to change (Eg. your family)

but most of the time, people just take words with awful content negatively.
if it arises out of situation 2, then you should be happy.
we can have so many hi-bye friends, all of whom we can exist peacefully with.
but how many of them care enough to take e risk of jepardising their relationship with you to tell you things so honestly and in perspective?
if you have friends who tell you straight to your face that 'hey, its not very good for you to always do this (some not very nice stuff that you always do) you know...'
then you should be happy.
cause out of all those in your social network, who bothers and dares to do so?

but sometimes, we all get so caught up in being nice and sociable and decent to other people,
that we become so mean to these people who truly care.
Using family as an example, i believe many can understand.
we can be a total role model in fromt of others, but a total bitch or bastard with our families. 

but when it comes to a hybrid between situation 1 and 2,
when words of awful content comes from someone who is supposed to care,
and comes in such extreme intensity,
words will hurt people.
that's why there's always the saying that some words once spoken, can never be taken back.