Speak Life

"If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life
believing that it is stupid." (Albert Einstein)

As a writer, I tend to memorize scenery in case I ever need to write about it later. I used to taste the world in descriptive sentences and walk around with a thesaurus running on autopilot in my head. Leaves didn’t just shake in the wind, they danced, twisting and turning like circus acrobats. Raindrops didn’t just fall, they shivered down from the sky in silent wet sheets and pooled like glass on sodden concrete. My past English teachers (Hi Mr. O!) used to tell me that I was too far in left field, too out there, and far too dramatic. Some of them even told me that I would never be a “real” writer unless I packed myself back up into the little square box that the rest of the world lived in.

Sometimes I would daydream in class, imagining myself slicing off fingers and toes like Cinderella’s evil step-sisters, attempting unsuccessfully to squeeze into someone else’s glass slipper. Even if I folded myself into piece upon piece upon piece and crawled willingly into the box, the next time I was brave enough to climb into the light I am certain that I would find myself unable to shake out the creases from my paper-thin silhouette. In fact, I might even fade away in that very same box until a curious soul was brave enough to peal back the cardboard. He or she would notice the SOS that I had carved into cold craven corners when I realized that I had lost the will to move up toward the light. Fitting myself into the box of another has never been enough for me, and I doubt it ever will. I vowed long ago that never again would I make myself small, not for anyone. But I did.

I never used to allow myself to believe in all of the negative, belittling words that were released in my direction. Sure, I experienced critique about my writing, but in my eyes, it didn’t matter because I was never writing for anyone else. I was writing for ME. What’s changed? Somewhere along the way I have become the fish that was judged on its ability to climb a tree. I have failed because I was built for the open ocean, and I have been trying to cram myself into that metaphorical box and make myself small. The words of others are killing me slowly and softly... because I let them.

What about my words?

My new 2014 mantra (as many of you know by now), is embracing self acceptance. As I push myself to pen page upon page of fiction I can see my novel grow to completion, but I am growing also. I want to inspire in others the confidence to be whoever they were created to be! I want to be completely unapologetic about the truth that I serve up on this not-so-silver platter.

And most importantly,

I want my words to mean something. Even if I end up with only two followers (Hi Mo!), I’ve decided that writing means more to me than pretty fonts and fancy layouts. I don’t want to sugarcoat life, I want to celebrate it in all of its ups and downs and roadblocks! To me writing is a way to honor all of those people in my life who have paved my streets with gold, even when I didn’t think there was anything golden left for me.

Now is the time for battle. The only way to fight those evil words that root their way into our hearts and crouch there waiting for momentary weakness is to fight back. Speak words of LIFE. Not only to yourself, but also to the people around you.

My friend Daphne is a beautiful woman, but it’s her heart that I appreciate most of all. She works in an office that caters to people of all shapes and sizes and welcomes those from each and every walk of life. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t greet visitors with a smile and a “Hey Beautiful,” “Hi pretty lady,” or a “How are you lovely?” Wow, you should see the way peoples faces light up! Daphne’s words of life cut past the negativity over what we see in the mirror and identifies the beautiful state of our hearts. Can you imagine living through an entire day without receiving a single word of kindness? 

Christian singer and songwriter TobyMac recently released a song called, “Speak Life.” The lyrics say it all, “Though it’s crazy, amazing. We can turn a heart with the words we say. Mountains crumble with every syllable. Hope can live or die.” Beloved, you and I have the power to change hearts with a simple word of kindness. Don’t forget to honor yourself with life-giving words, and take the time to recognize the gifts of others. Think about the words you speak before you say them, and lift-up those around you with words of hope, inspiration, beauty and love. In the word there is LIFE, and in the word there is DEATH.

Let's Speak Life instead.

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“For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)