more than abc's

In the English alphabet, there are 26 of them.....letters, that is. In and of themselves, they are fairly useless.  String them together and you get words. Oh, for the love of glorious words. For they are the building blocks of which we form poems and prose that caress our sensibilities. Lyrics that inspire us to love, jolt our senses, rock our world strung together like so many beautiful beads; crafted in artistry.  The article, the journal, the grand epic novel pieced together from twenty-six little squiggles on a piece of paper.

Words hold so much power. Search among them to find knowledge. Guard yourself for they wound. Lay your head upon some soothing passage. They build walls and break them down again. They fulfill and leave you wanting. They pierce your heart and bind it together again. To love and hate and love again. Make me laugh and make me cry and make me come back for more.

But for me, I am not complete without my words. They constantly tumble through my mind. Song lyrics, signs, conversation, text. Yes, they whirl and dance, inspire and sing, whisper in my ear. And they keep nudging me until I give them some new voice. We share this symbiotic relationship.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to work with a young woman. She was earning volunteer hours toward a school requirement. I would share my poetry that she seemed to like. She had experienced a traumatic injury years earlier. She shared with me that she used to write but no longer did. I asked her if I gave her a journal, would she write again. She wasn't sure, but I gave her a journal anyway. Her first attempt was beautiful.

Do not let the words that speak to your heart die there. Give them voice. For in the impassioned word, there is blessing.