Remembering the Magic of Words
Disillusionment can happen, but the magic is still there.
Growing up, I was obsessed with words. I loved the feel of them on my tongue and the way they settled into my chest and became part of me.
I still love the lilting beauty of a well-composed sentence. I admire it when I see it and I’m proud of it when I accomplish it.
It’s why I love music with good lyrics.
It’s why I love to read.
It’s why I write.
And that’s true for so many of us who were born writers — those of us who worship words and phrases and spend hours getting them just right.
I firmly believe that writing is magic for grown-ups — like believing in Santa or the tooth fairy.
But it’s easy to forget that magic. When we’re writing daily for a career or towards a certain goal, it’s not always magical.
I listened to Taylor Swift today which moved me to write this article.
Her lyrics reminded me of how incredible it feels to write a perfect sentence that hits just the way you want it to. She understands the power of words — how they can sometimes be the only thing in the world to understand you.
And it also reminded me that magic is not always effortless, and it’s not always attainable either.
Sometimes I write thousands of words at a time that don’t do what I want them to do — sometimes the words come in droves but they’re nothing special.
In those moments I still love writing, but I don’t feel the beauty of it. And sometimes that’s disappointing and makes me doubt myself hard.
But that’s the thing —writing isn’t always magic and it’s okay that it’s not. It’s not going to be a spiritual experience every time. But we have to cherish those moments and embrace them when they come. That feeling is the reason we fell in love with writing in the first place and it’s what keeps us going. It’s who we are.
This is just a reminder to all of you out there who forget the magic from time to time as I do.
Go read something you love, collect some incredible quotes, listen to your favorite songs, and for God’s sake write. Just keep writing and feeling and letting the words wash over you like music.
You’ve still got it — and you’ll always have it.
One of my recent magical finds is this article by Michael Thompson:
Thanks for reading!
Post your favorite beautifully written articles or quotes in the comments!
