Thursday Thoughts...

"A word after a word after a word is power". 

Margaret Atwood

In the world we live in, words and writing and sentences and letters and books all hold power. Our laws are written in words; our many contracts are written with words; our shopping receipts list words; and so many, many instances of our daily lives that are official, demand and require words.

Being able to manage and handle and use words is a certain sort of power and this quote has made me think hard about how much power is unobtainable; inaccessible; when one does not have the power of words. When reading, or writing or speaking is denied you, how much power is taken away?

I am pretty sure Ms Atwood wasn't headed in this direction when the wrote these words; but I imagine she might agree nevertheless.

I imagine she was speaking/writing as a writer, whose job it is to put one word after another; and describing how powerful that can be as a novelist. The ability it gives you to give form to your thoughts; to describe and speak of situations; to tell stories others may be afraid to tell.

Words are powerful in so many ways. 

They can keep you safe; help you feel safe; or force you to seek safety...