Your Words are Your Wings

Your Words are Your Wings

 

Your Words are Your Wings

As writers, we often feel responsible for speaking out, speaking up. In times of strife, (pandemic, revolution, both) silence signals complicity. Whether it’s a letter to the editor of a local newspaper or a book that hits the New York Times best-seller list, our words can change the world.

But our writing doesn’t just change the capital “W” world. Writing changes the lower case “w” world as well—our own world and the world of the people nearest to us. Writing can change our own attitudes and beliefs, how we think and what we feel.

For centuries, deep thinkers (and deep feelers) have put pen to paper to uncover their longings, test their theories, and prove the points they knew were true. When ideas are set forth in black and white (or brown and olive) on the blank page, they transform. We see these thoughts clearly and can ascertain whether our theories have value or should be discarded. Writing guides us to our truth.

Nigerian poet Jenim Dibie, author of The Calligraphy of God, explains:

“Silence is a cage. These words are my wings.”

She urges us to break free from whatever cage might trap us.

Take up your pen.

Spread your wings.

Fly.


For more wisdom from authors like Jenim Dibie, please check out You Should Be Writing, the new writing journal from Mango Publishing by Brenda Knight and Nita Sweeney.

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