Words always matter

When I focus on my words I take care with them, I choose them deliberately, sometimes to soften things, sometimes to provoke, but it’s rarely by accident.

Since I started being a bit more considered with the things I posted here, in particular the longer Musings, it’s been part of the joy of writing. Trying to process my own thoughts. Trying to capture them in a way that others might understand.

It’s helped me figure out things about myself. It’s helped me figure out things about the wider world, things outside of my own world view which, as a middle aged white man, is borne from a world of privilege (I do not like this).

I write about personal things here, and in the past I’ve been lucky enough to have people comment their appreciation, but some comments landed differently, particularly those on the deeply personal topics, such as my recent musing We like who we like.

Since publishing, I’ve been lucky enough to have had two separate, very personal and honest, emails —as well as a lovely comment on the site— and it backs up my belief that words matter, always.

I think we can be mindful of that every day, moreso if you are writing, and especially if you are publishing those words to the world.

We never really know who will read our words and what they will take from them. Tread lightly, speak gently, and hopefully the words will land softly. There is too much hate in the world, I think it’s incumbent on us all to lessen that wherever we can.

I’ll leave the last words to Alexandra, and the final words of her comment:

“Know your words make a difference.”