“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

~ John 1:1

Whether you find yourself in a position of reverence for the spiritual nature of language or not, my intention in sharing the first line of the Bible here (which, in truth, I have not actually read at length) is to bring us back to the powerful foundation of our words.

My message to follow is not of religion, it is of transformation.

My honor of language, my reverence for each sound and syllable is deep and ever-expansive. My awareness around articulation is keen and continually being refined. My passion for poetic expression is one of the greatest reasons I am a writer, the desire that inspires me to put time and attention towards that which I share, the words that I send out into the ethers.

So my message here is simply and ultimately, about love.

“My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel—it is, before all, to make you see.”

~ Joseph Conrad; Lord Jim

I am now present to a world, where things are spoken of frivolously, in vain. Where judgement and argument are at the forefront of our conversations. Where criticism runs rampant and diminishes the perfect gift of life itself. Where our inclination towards gossip and name-calling is overwhelming. Where we lie. Blatantly, continually, unapologetically. From casual conversations to musical lyrics, from tabloids to newsrooms and every line dropped in-between, we’ve lost a sense of sanctity around the word.

I am not exempt.

As much time and attention I place around that which I say and call forth, I still forget. I am continually swept up in the opportunities to judge others, to complain about how I’m feeling or the challenges that arise in the everyday, to exaggerate and elaborate on the simplest of things and to diminish—myself especially—when instead I can be vocalizing so much more.

Language is our tool for transmission.

We share, invite, engage, excite, announce, assert, connect, correspond, declare, deliver, awaken and create with our words. However, we can also destroy, devastate, damage, deface, crush, kill, shatter, sabotage and totally trash it all, too. The choice is ours. With each sound we make, with every word we speak, the power is there.

There was a time in my life where I was sure that a well-placed four-letter word was the ticket to wit, cleverness and a good laugh. There was even a time when I swore—a lot. Now, I’m turned off by profanity. What’s the point? What is it that’s actually being said underneath the obscenities? And how are we to clearly hear the true meaning of the message if it’s covered up in all that cursing?—I could no doubt use one right here, still I won’t.

And it’s not just about the things we say, it’s enmeshed in our thoughts, too!

What we think about, we bring about. So, if we’re spinning on a hamster wheel of hatred within our own minds, the external experience will inevitably suffer. There was also a time when I leaned towards sarcasm and self-deprication in an effort to mask my self-consciousness and enhance my appeal. Now, I much prefer acknowledgement, honesty and compassion.

Standing up and sharing our greatness. ‘Cause words are everywhere; online, over the phone, in our heads, in our hearts, at the store, between the sheets, every second of every day, the sounds are alive and taking shape.

So, how can we continue to speak the truth instead of trapping ourselves in the lie?

The blather of hearsay and he-said, she-said nonsense. Not everything is easy or pristine and yet there are ways we can express ourselves that open us up to a greater degree of compassion and gentle, loving kindness. I invite us to catch ourselves mid-conversation sometime and reflect upon what we’re actually talking about.

Does it feel as though it’s uplifting to our essence? How about to the person we’re engaging with? Is there something else we could share that would enhance our experience even more? That would inspire and illicit some empowering shifts in consciousness? What is it that we really want to call in and create with our lives? And how can we consciously choose to speak those things more often, more fully from our hearts and allow the expression of divine, pure, powerful, intentional vocalization to occur?

It’s time to treat our bodies as a temple and a light-house. To see one another as supreme beings who are worthy of excellence in action and speech.

Which brings me back to the beginning. The word. The word of God. Each letter, each consonant and vowel, is an offering. To unite, to relate, to reach out and touch another heart, to ask a question so we may more deeply learn and grow, to humbly pray for universal guidance and support, to propose to our beloved, to share a fond farewell for our family’s passing, to narrate our favorite story or sing out our favorite song. Each instance a new opportunity to use stronger, sounder words.

The wonders to be created when love alone carries our voice will change the world.
So, speak your peace.

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Assistant Editor: Gabriela Magan/Ed: Bryonie Wise