26 letters. That’s all there is in the English alphabet. Arrange them in different ways and you have at your disposal means to change the world. When Sir Winston Churchill rallied the nation during World War II, telling the people, “Do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days - the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable,”1 he used the same 26 letters. When Martin Luther King told the American people, “I have a dream today,”2 he did so by rearranging the 26 letters. The quotes we so dearly love and copy down for rainy days or those that we sign off emails and letters with, “I’ll see you soon then,”3 are all made from those same letters.
A bunch of plain letters linked together can have a worlds worth of meaning in them at one point and then they can be utterly meaningless, devoid of any emotion at another point. Or for someone else. – Rosaline
Words, that once people gave to each other as gifts, as inspiration or as binding contracts are now thrown around and kicked about like trash; uncared for and unwanted. Devoid. Empty. Shallow. Words. A person would once say, “I give thee my word,” and that would be all, for their words upheld their honour. Now people plead to one another for their words to be listened to, but they are heard only by deaf ears. Those that once would trust now build their walls higher and higher and those that talk the talk hand out the bricks.
Why can’t we just believe and be trusting? Everyone can talk the talk but it takes an honest, upright man or woman to be able to walk the walk. Say only that which you mean, and mean what you say.
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Title: What are words – Chris Medina
Photograph from personal photography, available here.
1 “Never give in” – Wartime speech by Sir Winston Churchill. Full transcript here.
2 “I have a dream” – Speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Full transcript here.
3 “I’ll see you soon then” – Quote from the film Dear John.
Posted in
Honour,
Trust,
Words
"Do you know what you just did"
"What?" I replied trying to keep my concentration on the oncoming traffic.
"Slow down a little, you're going above the speed limit." It was my first driving lesson and the instructor allowed me to take the car onto the main road. First or twenty-first lesson, 30mph is really slow especially when you're sitting in the driver's seat. "When you passed that last car you instinctively moved yours to the left."
"Did I?"
"Yeah. You don't even notice it sometimes. It's a natural human response; when we see danger coming we move away from it. But as you move away from danger on one side, you may go crashing into something else on the other side."
"I guess so."
"Next time, don't be so afraid and you'll find people will give you way when it is your right. Trust them, but also be ready because there are some really rash drivers, especially in this area."
*****
Whenever we come across new things or new people in life we tend to roll up into a ball and become monosyllabic. No eye contact, no talking, just mind your own business. It then takes a long time after that for us to come out of our protective rolled up state and begin to open our eyes.
If you set out to look for something in others you'll very rarely find it unless you practice and understand it too. If it is goodness you seek, then be good to others; if trust is what you're after be trusting yourself and if it is a bit of understanding you require then show others you can give them the same. Think of it this way. If a person comes up to you you'll start by giving them the respect they deserve. But when you discover they have nothing good to share and are generally a 'bad' person, your attitude to them will change pretty fast. You'll be reluctant to share any of your goodness with them because all they have to give in return is bad names and foul language. After all, what you give is what you get.
Keep your arms open, give people a chance without entering the *RED ALERT* errr I don't know you state and you may just find yourself a totally awesome new friend or lover or helper. But as always, don't open yourself up so much that others take advantage, because there are some really rash people out there!
Posted in
Driving,
Me,
People,
Trust
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