For the Love of Words

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Words are the pixels that put together an understandable picture of my world. Words are the brushstrokes in a masterpiece—the fine lines, nearly meaningless alone, culminating in beauty and understanding together.

I simply love words.

I sit down at my computer and start typing—slowly at first, and then the flood comes over me. Words stream and flow, bubble up and mingle—until, at last, I step back from the strokes and see the picture. I see beauty. I see creation. I see a part of myself in black ink on the page.

Sometimes I feel like god when I write and can make all those unruly letters do and say whatever I want. Just like God in the beginning when he spoke—when He said the words “Let it be”—and it was.

So I speak, “Let it be”—and it is. Letters, pictures, stories, truth, emotion—all painted together onto the blank canvas of a page. All coming from nothing as the cursor gives birth to word after word. Words turned to sentences. Sentences to paragraphs. Paragraphs to the page. The page to a story. The story to a life all its own—a world, a place that never was before the words came together and said it is so.

I love words. I love blank pages. Blankness is merely a call to creation. Something out of nothing. Worlds out of words.

But sometimes I forget how much I love words. Sometimes I think the worth of words is entirely in the number of likes and responses those words receive. Sometimes I write something I love—something of myself that I gave up to the page. And even though  I loved the words, others do not. And I start to think the words lost their meaning. I start to think the words are no good. I think of quitting. I think it’s too hard. I only think these things because I forgot.

I forgot how much I loved the words.

I loved the words as they percolated and came together in my brain. I loved the words as I gave birth to them on the page. I loved the creation from something out of nothing.

And really, that should be enough. The words and the love I have for them—not the love they receive from others.

So, today, I start again with this blank canvas—this empty vastness yearning for creation. Something out of nothing.

I write because I love writing. I love the words. I love the blankness. I love the fine strokes of creation.

Even if you don’t like them too. That’s okay. Because I can’t leave the canvas blank. I can’t leave the cursor….cursing? I can’t. I have to write. I have to create.

Maybe I just like feeling like god for a few hours in the day.

27 thoughts on “For the Love of Words”

  1. I completely agree with your message! LOVE how you said this part:

    “But sometimes I forget how much I love words. Sometimes I think the worth of words is entirely in the number of likes and responses those words receive. Sometimes I write something I love—something of myself that I gave up to the page. And even though I loved the words, others do not. And I start to think the words lost their meaning. I start to think the words are no good. I think of quitting. I think it’s too hard. I only think these things because I forgot”

    I tend to forget to. Recently, I have tried to direct my blog to my followers moreso than myself. I have to remember along with posting recipes and DIY ideas I also need to post real journals from the heart of things I’m dealing with…things many people will not understand. Thanks for reminding me that words are powerful, special, and full of meaning to each individual person that speaks the words.

    I nominated you for a beautiful blog award on my page http://www.muffinsandmocha.com ! Keep up wonderful posts

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  2. This is a a beautiful post about creation. It’s really about the creation, isn’t it? And the loving of what comes from deep inside. I really like your thought: “Maybe I just like feeling like god for a few hours in the day.” Why not? ~Catherine

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  7. Thank you for reminding me that a love of words is enough – there is no other need as a writer than that. I started practicing meditation in the new year which has brought me to the realization that I am a writer, and no one can take that away from me. The words are mine and I am theirs. I’m thinking 2013 is a year for breaking all the blogging rules…

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  9. Perfect timing on this one, Kari. I recently found myself a little discouraged because I hadn’t been getting as many “likes” (even though I was getting more views). I couldn’t quite bring myself to say “I quit” because I actually do enjoy blogging. Couldn’t really put it into words, though.

    I think you put it very well here. The first attribute of God we see in the Bible is that of creator. And we, being made in God’s image, have that same desire to create in some form or fashion.

    Awesome post.

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  10. I have been reading Genesis and have been thinking about how God made everything out of nothing. After reading your blog I can understand your love of words. Without them nothing would make sense. Please don’t ever lose your love of words and writing, it is your gift from God.

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  15. Yes, just as you said… one can create a world from words… popularity is no indication of how beautiful the image, how precious the world… Don’t let yourself get carried away by the statistics. We can’t have the same appeal for everyone… and we don’t know what others are looking for most of the time. Do what you enjoy, and enjoy those who like sharing with you… regardless of how many there are.

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  17. I love your love of words!! You have a gift for putting all those wonderful thoughts and feelings down on that blank canvas in such a beautiful way. Those of us who have the privilege to read your words are transported into your world every time you write. I always felt that the greatest gift I could give my children was a love of reading..that’s where the magic of words begins. So thankful you don’t leave the cursor…cursing!

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