I always thought so. But then, that was how I experienced it, reading my way through as much as I could get my hands on when I was growing up.
Words to make exciting things happen. Words to show complete understanding of how someone is feeling. Words that are more about feel than meaning – like feeling the water go past your hand when you put it over the side of a boat. Words that set a tone, that put a form of snapshot deep inside us.
But life is obviously complicated – more and more obviously so as we get older. Often the words come to a stop at a difficult situation. We find this for a family member just now, and it dries up the well of words.
Partly, I think there are so many words for some situations, so many separate feeling and fears and hurts and concerns that we don’t write/speak. If we start now, when will we stop?
Conversely, words have their own power. We may not experience speaking things into being, in a Biblical sense, but sometimes we don’t want to say it because we fear it is true, and if we say it, then it really is.
Sometimes, the situation is a private one, perhaps one that few others understand. When our feelings are ripped to shreds, why should we put our words out there too for further scrutiny?
Ironically, it is the courage to find the words when life is very hard that makes them all the more powerful. These words don’t just come tumbling out of a packet. They are carved out with sobs. They are squeezed out between the teeth. They wobble as they emerge and make it into breath.
But they are powerful because they are true, and real, and honest. They are powerful because sometimes words can be enough to show even a little of what is going on, and do it justice. And they are powerful because of how they connect with others, especially those looking for encouragement.
Luckily for many of us, these kinds of words are easier to find these days, through blogs, Facebook posts, online newspapers and members’ forums. I’ll say more tomorrow about some of what I’m reading just now – and why it matters that it’s out there.