Words. Ideas. Action.

I love words. They excite me. I love to feel them in my mouth when I speak and I absolutely love listening to their musicality…consonants and vowels playing off each other. It isn’t just an auditory thing though. I would say I’m a true logophile. I love reading the written word, seeing how the letters build upon each other and make shapes that will represent the greater word which represents a greater thought which leads to the concrete manifestation of an idea. …it makes my pulse race just to think about it. I believe in words because I believe that they should not be said or written lightly. Words are a powerful representation; they symbolize in a gorgeous way what is or will be reality.
I say all of this because I am currently raging. I am absolutely frustrated by the everyday misuse and abuse of words. I’m not even talking about when people choose their words in such a crafty way as to purposely mislead and deceive – oh no! I’m talking about the manner in which people are literally stripping words of their meaning. The way which people throw words around in type or speak mindlessly…with no care in whats been said or intent to follow through with what their words have professed. A typical example would be the very common question, “How are you?” People SAY it all the time. Most of the time they don’t even care to know…SOMEtimes people don’t even realize they’ve said it! The reply is usually just about as devoid of meaning….and I HATE that! That makes me sad. Those words exist so that you can genuinely reach out to your fellow human beings and inquire as to their state of being, just as the words exist so that you can express how you are feeling. Maybe you really are “fine” or “ok”…but usually if you give it some thought, other words will come to mind. You may be wondering what has spurred this little rant that has truly been brewing inside of me for a very long time, but honestly, it isn’t one thing. It’s so many. It’s being disgusted at people’s surprise when I follow through with what I have agreed to in written or spoken word…because they usually don’t expect me to. I constantly hear, “well, a lot of people SAY they’ll do this or that…” That leaves me disgruntled. However, I also get testy when people use their words to “tell me what I want to hear”…with (what I come to find out) absolutely no intention of following through. Yes, I love to hear words hahaha, I’ve already stated that – and of course, I love to hear them with the thoughts I find pleasing attached to them…but not if they are false/empty…that is word abuse!!! I only ask that people be kind and thoughtful with their words…if that sometimes means using words to form sentences to represent ideas that people (me included) aren’t necessarily going to like, have the courage and decency to use them anyway! Have the fortitude to back up your actions with words that align. I adore words. …but sometimes I find myself hating them because of the flippant attitude others treat them with. It’s sad. It breaks my heart in so many ways.
I think people are so disgracious with words because they detach them from the concrete thing which they symbolize. (okay…not everything is concrete…like love, hate, etc. – but bear with me) As a performer, I was constantly told: “Don’t tell me, show me!” …and as an educator, I often request the same from my students. – and it isn’t because I suddenly stopped loving words. It’s because the two are supposed to work together. Their relationship is symbiotic. We need both. When we do not use them in sync with one another, confusion and chaos happens… Fortunately, actions are not as easily deceiving as words – although magicians and the like are able to pull it off 😉 …this leaves words. Words. Words. Words. …and people are so careless. Literally…without any care for how they are using them, what words they’re using…sometimes they don’t even know what they said or wrote because it was that devoid of meaning to them…
All I can do is request that we all take more care with the words we use. Use them with purpose. Be respectful and thoughtful with them and you’ll be amazed where they can take you!

Advertisement