Until modern times, words had value. People were said to "weigh their words." A man was "as good as his word." Oratory was an art, and poetry was celebrated. Wedding vows were sacred exchanges of words, letters were cherished and oral histories were carefully preserved. The Bible tells us that "the Word was made flesh."
Somewhere along the way, we started using words lightly, choosing them carelessly and damaging our ability to connect in a meaningful way to others. I remember that our dad pointed out, correctly, that the advertising industry was spoiling our language when it promised we would "fall in love" with a car or a hamburger. McDonald's slogan is "I'm lovin' it." Score one for Dad.
To me, words are like a color palette is to an artist. They hold endless possibilities for combining, blending, shading to draw the pictures I hold in my mind, the subtle shades of meaning implicit in every thought we try to convey. Language is cause for celebration. After all, how else would we acquire knowledge, build empathy, convey our hopes and dreams, share so much of our lives?
Today, talk is cheap. Proof: television and talk radio. Stock phrases turn up over and over again. "At the end of the day......" or "In the final analysis....." or "OMG" in text-speak. Thoughtful discourse is rare, and everything seems canned and programmed to push our buttons of emotional reactions. People admit to not reading books, to consuming the disgorged streams of thoughtless words and images poured out of the airways by the boatload. Today Abraham Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg would be dissected and torn apart and discarded as political rhetoric.
To me, words are treasures. They can contain actual pearls of wisdom. They can transport me places I couldn't otherwise go. They can connect me to my past, to my present, to my loved ones near and far. Great speeches, simple sermons and letters between friends can open our hearts, start movements, heal wounds, build bridges of understanding. And aren't those all things our world needs more of? If we were to be struck dumb, maybe then we'd understand that words are priceless.
8 comments:
I clicked this morning on ajaxrock, praying for a wonderful new entry to bring my sister into my home this morning. And here you are! :) So beautifully said. I was reading aloud to Walt last night with no TV nearby, and it was delightful.
One of the worst things for me about living in a Spanish-speaking country is that I have been "struck dumb" or at least reduced to a level of speech of . . . I started to say a 5 or 6 year old until I remembered little Sarah's charming and appropriate use of words, and thinking back, even Johnny's and Libby's at age 2. So, yes, I guess I'm struck dumb down here unless I ever really grasp their language to the level I would like to. And thus, I am limited to the level of relationships I can have. This really lets me know how important "words" are!
And Obama's speech yesterday reminded me of how much words can inspire. That man chooses his words carefully and is then torn to shreds for being disingenuous. There's big difference between rhetoric and oratory.
Still, speeches like that help scrape the rust off of people's ears.
I haven't listened and won't listen to the accusations of "disingenuous" by the Rush Limbaugh types. Not only can words inspire, but they can clarify. Obama could've done what the hundreds of other politicos would've done, but he chose to be honest. I think people who see others and issues only in black and white (and I don't mean "race" here) just miss so much. They would've been happier if he'd denied the complexities of life and relationships? I love my family and friends, and stick by them, but I surely wouldn't want to be held accountable for each of their beliefs and at times what I view as idiotic attitudes and remarks.
Well put, Johnny! I have read comments about former McCain supporters sitting up and donating actual dollars out of their actual pockets as a result of that rust being scraped away. It's been so long since the people of this country have heard anything but soundbites and cliches, and haven't realized that those soundbites are insults to their intelligence.
Johnny, that's only if they listen. Most of them will hear it distilled though the talk-machine on television. Even on NPR, I heard a "panel" discussing whether this is something people WANT to look at. Of course not! It's hard work.
No offense to Johnny and Nan, my nearest and dearest, but I have grown to dislike NPR along with the rest, by the way. They bore me to death. I don't want to hear their panel anymore than I want to any other talking heads. I resent that they own ears just like, say, Fox, does.
And, by the way, I don't think Obama even demands that Americans "look at it." He spoke so clearly and truthfully on what is going on concerning race in this country that I don't think it needs to be examined beyond his words. When the elephant in the living room is described that well, what is there to say but, "I'll be darned! That IS an elephant and that big ol' elephant was at our church/dinner table/poker table last night! " ;/
Perfect. I couldn't agree more. Now I have to find a source other than NPR or just trust my good old intuition.
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