Open Writing

The world is full of words. Words of encouragement, words of hope, words of solace that help fill the empty places left by a loved one’s death, words that inspire us to extend ourselves in search of higher things, words that motivate us to accomplish noble deeds, words of love that feed our hearts, words that fill our souls with intimations of Deity, words of comfort that raise our weary spirits, words of wisdom that steer us towards better goals, words of encouragement that provide just what we needed to keep going to fulfil our obligations, words of sympathy that tell us we do not lament alone, words of cheer that lighten our hearts, and words of support that tell us that we are performing our roles in life as we should.

Many of these welcome words are celebrated and oft quoted, and rightly so. Thoreau gave ‘permission’ to countless people who think somewhat dissimilar to the commonalty to continue their novel courses without feeling that they are abnormal, when he insisted, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away."

Mother Teresa who lived her life among the suffering to ease their pains said, "It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters." She also said, "We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love."

Words of faith have inspired all generations. Thomas Carlyle paraphrased the Psalmist’s, "The heavens are telling the glories of God," when he penned the lines, "To us also, through every star, through every blade of grass, is not God made visible if we will open our minds and our eyes."

Romantic words set hearts ablaze, giving a voice to their passion, as "You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her," Leo Buscaglia’s "Love can never grow old. Locks may lose their brown and gold. Cheeks may fade and hollow grow. But the hearts that love will know, never winter's frost and chill, summer's warmth is in them still."

Inveterate worriers take comfort from Winston Churchill’s words, "I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened."

Emerson inspires us to "Not go where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Holding Carter Jr’s "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings," turns our attention from ourselves to those who must follow us.

The unseen costs of war are summarised by Dwight Eisenhower, who grimly said, "Every gun that is fired, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

I remember the stirring speeches of Winston Churchill during the dark years of the Second World war, when Britain faced the enemy alone: "We will have no truce or parlay with you [Hitler], or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. You do your worst -- and we will do our best." After the retreat from Dunkirk, he addressed the House of Commons, "We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

As Winnie’s words firmed the resolve of the British people then living under the greatest threat to their existence in more than a thousand years of history, so the measured, almost breathless adoration of Elizabeth Barrett Browning has been touchstone for lovers: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death."

What words! What great wisdom each of these sages has added to our understanding of issues central to our existence, and what power of expression they have bequeathed to our language as they fuel our aspirations, our challenges, and our endeavours. Yet of all the words that I have heard or read, none ever came into my heart with such force and none are as welcome as the simple sentence I received yesterday from the hand of a beloved grandson.

Around a picture of a little and a monkey whose arm was across the kitten’s shoulder in an attitude of familiar affection, he has written, "The cat and monkey are just like you and me. Love, Luke." I shall live on these words for the remainder of my days. Yes, Luke, "We be brothers, Thou and I." Thank you for your wonderful welcome words.

Copyright (C) - Ronnie Bray
all rights reserved

Other stories at:
http://www.2theheart.com/author_ronnie_bray
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/voices/011024summer.html