The power of writing

And he said: ‘All the good things you do in the world for other people are rewarded. Perhaps you don’t recognise the rewards because they don’t come in material benefits, it might be a good feeling or the experience of just having a day when everything is going your way.’

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I turn to these words often and they are the final words in a book that my Grandad wrote before he died. I feel so much truth in these lines because so often do we do things for others, reach the point of despair when we feel that nothing is being done for us in return and get highly stressed out in the process. However, if you think of your kindness and generosity being rewarded with a good day, a spot of sunshine or a constant nice feeling then your efforts seem more worthwhile and you don’t necessarily have to hear that you’re appreciated.

My granddad’s writing and my leaning on his words for advice and comfort made me think about the power that the written word has. It’s used to sell things, to explain and inform, to declare feelings and emotions – the list is endless.

Words are so important, they can linger throughout your life. How often do you hear people recalling somebody’s words in relation to that moment? ‘My Dad always says,’ or ‘Nan used to say’. They are important to us all.

We read books to be entertained and certain words stick with us. I often find myself taking a picture of a selection of words within a book during a relaxed reading session so that I remember them in the future. The other day my friend showed me some lovely words in a book she was reading about how a smile is the most attractive thing you can wear. By her pointing that out to me, I knew she finds something special about capturing words too.

Words are full of emotion. They can make you cry, they can make you laugh, they can make you smile and they can make you angry. Some people find therapy in writing things down in a daily diary or explosive episodes to organise what seems a mess while stuck in your mind. I’m currently sat at my desk writing for peace and sanity which is one of the most powerful things I find about writing.

Words can change moods in an instant. A text worded in a certain way can make your day or ruin it. An email can change your world. A letter can be kept forever and looked upon occasionally, filling your heart up with warmth when you read it.

In fact, it’s extraordinary how powerful a page of black and white can be and as a writer I am continually amazed at the strength that it has. I find that I write best when I’m highly emotional or feel strongly about something which I realise sounds obvious but hear me out.

On hearing the sad news of my Grandad’s passing the first thing I did was write the speech I wanted to speak at his funeral. I mean at the time this wasn’t necessarily what it was going to be used for but through the process of writing I wrote something that I now love to read and something that didn’t require a series of drafts and edits because it was from deep within my heart.

I write blog posts about various things but the ones that seem to resonate most with my readers are those that I wrote out of an extreme emotion. The ones about university, the beauty of travel and not rushing through life have not only had the highest hits but they are the ones I read back and am most proud of.

What I am trying to say is that words need sentiment to be written and words need sentiment to be read. Next time you’re reading something try to take in every single word. I live my life through writing and am constantly thinking up the next topic to write about next. In every day scenarios I often think ‘how could I write this’ and laugh when my brain goes straight to a list of book titles. On top of the practise of writing though, I make absolute sure that I take time to read others words which are just as if not more important than my own. It’s a good job I’ve chosen writing for a living.

All in all, never underestimate the importance of the written word, it can help you in so many ways and you never know when you might need some simple words to lift you up.