Mastering The First 26 | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Mastering The First 26

The ramblings of a teenage scribe.

35
Mastering The First 26
M.C. Escher Foundation

My hands don't ever allow them to remain idle for too long. I feel an aching in them when they sit still; my mind always runs wild and my hands are the only way to relieve it of its own chaos, funneling the great storm that my thoughts make up and dotting a page with the rain. I sometimes think that my own thoughts are toxic but only if they remain in my mind. I have to express my thoughts, whether verbally or in written form.

That leaves me in a conundrum as I am not sure every feeling I have can be reflected on my computer screen nor through my vibrato.

26 letters are all we have in English. 26 letters can tell every single story ever told and craft every story that will eventually be told. Everyone's experience, everyone's perspective, everyone's way-of-life. 26 letters.

Imagine if we all could master those 26 characters; imagine the changes. "Misunderstanding" would become an obsolete word while "understanding" would carry more weight. If we think information is easily available now, imagine if every expert in every subject could find a way to make everyone an expert.

I want to master language, every single one of them. I want my words to matter and my sentences to build to a climax so powerful, the world would quake with a force that would register a ten on the Richter but with the grace of rhythmic rattle. I want my thoughts to inspire; I want them to escape from me like a whisper, pervading the air softly and whimsically, while still reverberating like thunder, echoing for minutes and staying with everyone who hears them like an ear-worm. I want so much for everyone by wanting so much for myself.

My mind is cluttered and it doesn't always make sense but what if I could transcribe that mess onto a page or two? Maybe then I wouldn't feel so crazy. Facing a storm alone is a lot scarier than facing a storm with friends, right? We can observe the rain together and, though I'm the only one drenched from it, we can all comment on the weather. Otherwise, I am just a boy in the rain with his ink bleeding and paper crumbling.

"You look cold, Omar, maybe you should come inside."

"You can't squeak your shoes like that inside the building."

"Maybe you're better off in the rain, you've already been out there for so long."

26 is the most powerful number in the English language, even stronger than zero. If no one hears my voice, am I really speaking? Yes. Do I really exist? Of course.

Does anyone actually have to find their voice or does the world just need to learn how to listen?

26 letters wrote this and twenty-six letters will make up every single thing I write after this and can express every single word I say after this moment. There isn't just power in words, but power in the intent behind them. Mastering those 26 can keep intent from being confused and provide a unity that only literature can capture.

I want write until my fingers bleed and my hand is covered in ink or lead. I want to etch my abstract thoughts onto the blank slate of a reader's mind and create something beautiful. I am a scribe and as I invoke my Muse, I look to the stars in hopes that I can join them; 26 letters name them and maybe 26 letter can propel one to them as well.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

13347
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2543
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1563
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments