Words

I haven't posted anything for a while.  It seems I was at "a loss for words"!  That got me thinking about words and how we use them. We have so many expressions using "words".  Being a photographer, I often think, "a picture is worth a thousand words", but I also feel that so many photos are enhanced by adding a phrase or a poem to evoke the feeling that the photographer is conveying.  Then there is the sorrow that we experience with others when we, "can't find the words" and yet, somehow, just those lack of words say so much. We can be silly and just say, "WORD!" but this must be accompanied by a certain swagger and head bob along with some silly finger waving gesture! NOT THAT ONE!!!!  See, a mispoken word can change a lot of things.  Then we add in some punctuation and with a single comma change things.  I love PDQ Bach, (google it!) and one of his Christmas songs is Throw the Yule log, on Uncle John!  What a difference a comma makes! :-)
We say, "a word to the wise".  Hey, if they are so wise they should have the word already right???  And haven't we all heard our parents say, "I want a word with you."  If only it was one word! I mean couldn't they have just said, "BAD!" and been done?  Not so easy as that was it? Words are so important that we are asked to "give" them.  "Give me your word" conveys honesty and trust in that "word".  It all crumbles when someone "breaks their word" and then we lose that trust and honesty.  There is "The Word".  Those capital letters raise that phrase to a Higher Power and will not be questioned! When people proclaim to speak, "The Word of God", I would like to think that their message is an interpretation of their feelings towards that All Knowing One and that they don't really think they have the power to speak for Him. We "put out the word" when we want something to be communicated on a large scale.  We say, "words cannot express..." and yet we go on and on with words about our expression. As children we chanted, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"  That is so untrue, as we found out on our journey to adulthood, "the pen is mightier than the sword".  And then we have a "play on words".  Hmmmm I wonder who will have the leading role??  Oh Deer, have I said something wrong Dear?  Comedian Steve Wright wants to know "what's another word for Thesaurus?"  Then George Carlin wrote an entire act on Seven Dirty Words. What fun we can have with our words and what great things we can convey to each other through them.  I love the quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein, "Uttering a word is like striking a note on the keyboard of imagination". I hope my little word rant has given you a smile and made you stop to think about the power of your words.  The next person you talk to, choose your words carefully and with compassion because you never know when a single word can change someones entire life.