600...

I remember asking my 6th grade English teacher to sign my yearbook.  She handed it back with a smile.  

May you grow intellectually

as you are growing verbally.

I haven't seen that yearbook in a many, many years... but I have never forgotten her words.

Now, all these years later, I wonder if I ever did grow intellectually.  The fact that this is my 600th post on this blog is a testimony to the fact that to this day, I continue to grow verbally.  

I {heart} words.  I think I inherited this from my mom.  She loves words more than anyone I know and has a vocabulary that is stellar.  I can only hope to ever come close. 

I love words and using words.  Stringing them together into sentences that are powerful with just a few words is my favorite challenge.  Writing is my creative outlet.  Words become so much more when tied together.  

Words also have the ability to heal or destroy.  The power rests in the tongue.  Such a small muscle that wields such great strength.   I often allow my tongue to run at will rather than exercise the self-control to reign it in.  The result is usually devastation of some sort.

Thirty years ago, my sixth grade English teacher was on to something.  I think if I were to grow intellectually, I would learn to use my verbal skills for good rather than harm.   

I wish it wouldn't have taken my thirty years to see her wisdom.