Words Matter

Victor by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Many of us may remember the children’s rhyme – – “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” – – but never gave this phrase much thought. It was used to convince children that what others said about them had no meaning unless they allowed it. I agree with this concept generally, however, I now believe that words do matter a lot. They can be weaponized to damage, degrade and undermine people. These very same words can also take on new meanings over time evolving, expanding, transforming from negative to positive and vice versa. Etymology refers to tracing back to the root meaning of a word and understanding how its meaning has changed through time. In addition, the word “grammar” comes from grammars which were old latin books on diction and syntax. Many world cultures developed ancient magic or spell books containing prayers and instructions to connect to their ancestors and the divine. The words contained in these books were thought to have real power and contained a sacred wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, words possessed a certain magic in terms of their ability to connect to the divine, shape perception, and to direct positive and negative energy. Even our diverse, ancient, indigenous elders believed that words do matter!

I really love words and the dictionary. I would rather read something new than watch endless television or spend time with a lot of people. This is not good or bad just my particular kind of quirkiness and fondness for learning. As you read the poems, quotes, and musings in this section, we hope you will be inspired as well as gain an increased appreciation for the authors’ literary mastery and your own personal choice of words.

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