[Communication: as defined by Merriam-Webster online: n. the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else]
Is it baffling to anyone else the complexity of the human language, the art of speaking and the talent of eloquently stringing words together, yet we, as humans, speak to each other like it’s no problem? The verbal art of conversation is mind-blowing and astounding.
I, myself, stutter and struggle at times to voice my thoughts, even with people I’m comfortable with, yet there are some that speak with such ease and fluidity that it seems so natural. My area of that kind of natural talent comes in the form of writing-whatever it may be; my style of communication is written, the lines flowing and ebbing into one another like waves on a coastline.
Writing is for me what spoken words aren’t: an outlet, an escape, a hobby, a love. The stories I tell from the tip of my pen or pencil, or even from my fingertips overflow with detail and the emotion I cannot find myself expressing outwardly.
So, I write; the inability to keep a consistent journal or diary is made up in three lined poems or short stories I find myself writing in the margin of my copybooks when I’m supposed to be taking notes (sorry Mom and Dad). It’s hard to keep a grasp on my attention span when my imagination is dragging it by the hand and pointing out all of the adventures, thoughts and exciting things swirling in my mind.
Writing is also the tool I use to connect the people back home with my life here. The first article that was published on this website was noticed by my friends, the ‘posse’ as my mother would so nicely label us, who promptly blew up our group chat with adoration.
So, every week, I look forward to those messages because for the first time since we started it, the group chat isn’t blowing up with pictures of the calc textbook or physics answers. We’re spread out and away from home, each other and we’re constantly missing the moments we shared and the presence of one another. When I’m proud of something, they’re the first ones to know. I owe most of my inspiration and courage to those girls, my best friends.
Enough of the sappy details, I want whoever is reading to take time after reading this article to let their (your) mind wander. When was the last time your wrote a handwritten letter because you felt like it? And I don’t mean a reminder, note or Kairos letter; I’m talking about heartfelt, thought provoking, pencil-to-paper letter.
My challenge to you this week is to write one to whoever you want, even if you’re writing to your future self. Sometimes it’s good to look back on the progress you’ve made as a person through hard times you didn’t even know were coming. Send it to that person because hey-everyone loves mail. But really send them a message, not the basic “hello! how are you?” but a genuine letter. The handwritten notes have really gone out of style and they brought me so much joy.
This week’s article was more of a reflection, if anything. Sorry if it wasn’t insightful or creative, I was just really inspired by my friends and how much I miss them. College really opens your eyes to how lucky you are to have such amazing friends-I know I am.
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