A word after a word after a word is power
In the year 1909, Okhil Chandra Sen alighted from a long distance train at Ahmedpur station to excrete (‘make dung’ in his words). The guard, not knowing this, gave the green signal, leaving an enraged Sen behind as the train rolled out.
Sen wrote a letter to the Sahibganj division railway office after this.
“Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with ‘lotah’ in one hand and ‘dhoti’ in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female women on plateform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station,” he wrote.
“If passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake,” he complained.
Just like you, the world laughed at what he had written. But had he not spoken up that day, we Indians may not have had toilets in long distance trains for a long time.
Words. They convey, they bridge distances, they hold power.
Do not underestimate a word. A ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ can change a person’s life. A single sentence can make your heart beat harder. Speeches move you, books make you live. Words can do miracles just by their power .
So write down that stupid idea in your head on a piece of paper, send a text message about that thought nibbling your brain, say a kind word to the security guard and see him smile, tell your family you love them, tell your old friends you miss them. Speak up, write down, let the power of words unleash in your heart.
Margaret Atwood, writer of 14 novels, 17 volumes of poetry, and eight volumes of short fiction famously said-
“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.
A word after a word after a word is power.”
You need not be perfect. Your words will let your thoughts out in the playground, and they will take form as you set them free. As long as you are careful, your words have the power to move the world.
So go, get your story typed up and come back. We’ll be waiting right here with a platform ready for you to post them.
PS- With great power comes great responsibility, as Uncle Ben from Marvel says. Words can fall soft as a feather on a heart or lash out like fire when you write or speak them. So choose the arrows that you ping off your bow carefully.
Posted by Maithri Warrier
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