Something to Live By

"Words are...an inexhaustible source of magic." So said Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. He spoke the truth.

There are many a number of phrases that strike a chord, for one reason or another, with us. It may be because they were spoken by a particular person or character, or about a particular situation. Sometimes it's just the words themselves, even taken out of context, that just click so beautifully.

And there's no accounting for taste, either. One person may love something that goes as deep as "Not all who wander are lost," while others find just as much meaning in "Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man."

I can't quantify for sure what makes these phrases, and others, turn quite so elegantly, and on different people's ears. Those that are learned in the subjects of etymology and linguistics could probably tell you more than I could about that.

But I do know that there are definitely some fantastic wordsmiths in the world. Two of my favorite authors, (and very popular writers in their own right), J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien, have already been referenced on here, (though the Dumbledore quote, strictly speaking, came from the keyboard of Steve Kloves.)

The Coen brothers, who wrote and directed The Big Lebowski (to which the third quote thus far is credited) among other films, certainly know how to make different rearrangements of words memorable.

But of course, it's not all films and books that keep us going. Even I step outside the realms of fiction for inspirational words, or simply something that resonates. Many presidential addresses, even dating as far back as Abraham Lincoln and beyond, still hold true for us today. "...let us strive on to finish the work we are in...," regardless of context, sends a message of persistence and determination to whoever listens, no matter the race or creed.

And it doesn't stop there. Every day we are surrounded by people saying words. Most of them will be pretty mundane, to say the least. But every now and then, something will stick, and you'll repeat it later, either as a joke or a story, but it will pass on and transcend its initial context.

The goal of every writer, I think, and I include myself in this, is to tell the world something. Something we think the world needs to know. We don't always succeed, but we always strive to leave that impression on people. Because we want to leave the world we came into the better for us having been here.

And perhaps there is the selfish reason of wanting to be remembered as one of those legends who spoke such profound words as, "Don't let a suitcase full of cheese become your big fork and spoon," or "The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet."

As I hone my craft, I hope I will eventually write something that stirs the souls of my readers. Perhaps I have already, maybe in this essay, maybe in a previous post, or in one of my NaNos of previous years. Sometimes I read over something i wrote and say, "Ooh, that's quite good," and then five minutes later declare it trite, cliched rubbish.

Still, I can't help but think that one day, people will think it "no bad thing to celebrate (my) simple life."

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A bit of a departure from the norm. I wanted to get down to the grit of why words move us so, and I do hope, at the very least, I have encouraged thought in you.

Thanks to Thomas, Laura, Jenny, Karen, Matthew, Cyndi, Jeri, Richard, Dominic, Chris, Travis, Adam, Doug, Daniel, Phil, Gary, Katherine, Denise, and Danielle for your thoughts and your insight.

For next week, I put the prompt to you. What would you like to see me write about? Or, to put a fine point on it, what sort of story would you like to read? (I'm thinking broad genres here, but you are welcome to give specifics if you desire.) Please post your ideas and submissions in the comments section below by Thursday, March 15, at 6:00 Central time.