What is it about writing that is so therapeutic – so helpful when forming and developing ideas? Why not deal with issues in the so-called “real world” by going out there and doing something about it, instead of trying to capture it with words?
It so happens that words are more than mere tools we use to express our life experiences, for not only are they the means by which we interact with one another, but they, in and of themselves, have the capacity to shape who we are as people and can lead us to take specific courses of action.
An easy way to consider the effect words have upon our actions is by noting that we cannot even plan what to do without utilizing linguistic means. We cannot act in any productive way if we don’t first talk or think about an issue we are trying to face.
Indeed, we think in language, and words thus follow us at all times, including the moments when we believe we are pondering quite separately from the world. Something that is always with us cannot possibly have no impact upon our character and the ways in which we behave, and as such, one person’s words have the capacity to deeply affect another’s actions.
After considering this, it is not difficult to think of writing as an extremely useful way to reach other individuals, and to incite them to bring about meaningful change in the world.
This kind of connected-ness beget by language is made clearer when looking at the fact that the words we use on a daily basis immediately link us to other individuals, even if we are just thinking, for all words were at some point created by other people, and used with a certain purpose in mind. Therefore, when we use language (whether aloud or in our minds), we are intrinsically connected to these creators, as we are borrowing their work, their words – these little pieces of history – along with the weight they carry, for we can never get rid of that weight. To be able to combine these “pieces of history” in relatively unique ways in order to continue age-old discussions, adding yet more weight onto them, is both a privilege and a terrifying task.
Writing like this scares me. I am afraid I will misuse the wonderful gift of language, and I fear that others will hate it. In spite of that, I’ve pulled through and written this, so at least that’s a start.
At the same time, I love to write like this, because through this dialectic I can come to know myself better – to understand my own thoughts and feelings – and hopefully that is the case as well for those who read my future works.
Writing gives the ability to perfect the craft of communication – the craft of words – and thereby perfect the lifelong craft of creating oneself. Naturally, words can thus become one of our most powerful assets -- they may injure us, or they may be our cure; they may incite chaos, or encourage order and rationality. With my works, I certainly hope to achieve the latter – to provoke positive reactions in people – but I also hope to arouse the part of their mind that is often deep in slumber due to a fear that something is "problematic" or "too complicated to discuss." In other words, I won't hesitate to write about complex topics (like race, gender, sexuality, oppression, privilege and mental illness, for example).
Due to the fact that I will be touching upon these issues, I think it's essential that I make a little side-note: if my writing offends someone in any way, or if it is in some way full of internalized prejudice, please bring it to my attention. I certainly will take everyone's comments into account and try to be as respectful as I can be when handling these topics.
I am very happy to have access to this platform now and to have the ability to express myself freely, to get my writing out there – out of the vacuum where it has been residing most of my life.
As shy and self-conscious as I may feel regarding this (and despite the dozen alternate pieces I wrote in fear that this one isn’t good enough), I think discussing these things and sharing my inner world with the outside can only be a good thing. Even if only one person engages with my content, it will mean a lot to me, as it will signal the start of a new conversation, or the continuation of an old one – something that, as stated before, has the capacity to shape who and what we become.
