"Words are... the most powerful drug used by mankind."

Today (and everyday) I am grateful for good communication, the ability to communicate, and the knowledge to do it without sounding like an idiot. Most of the time.



The beyond wise quote in the title above was spoken by Rudyard Kipling, the English author who wrote great works of literature such as The Jungle Book, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. I think there is a lot of astuteness to the comparison between words and drugs. Anne Morrow Lindbergh had a very astute moment, herself ,when she noted,

"Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after."

Now, I am not a coffee drinker, but I definitely understand this allusion and, in fact, experieced it myself last night.

Yesterday, Lance and I, in an effort to continue to get to know and understand each other better/shake things up in our nightly phone conversation, wrote down the ten most important things/principles/ideals we each hold dear. At the end of the day, we sat down and took turns reading and explaining each item from our lists to one another.

An hour and a half after we started, my head was reeling- and in a very good way! We covered nearly every aspect of life. We saw many of the things that are commonly important to us, and I know that I both discovered and relearned things about him- things that he aspires for and holds near and dear to his heart. I can't speak for Lance, but post conversation- I felt a renewed sense of "us". Good communication cannot be topped, nor can it be replaced. I advise all of you to do this exercise with friends, potential lovers, siblings, parents, and even spouses- check in on one another and you will gain a new sense of love and appreciation for that person. Try it. You'll like it!

I am also grateful for the power of the written word/my ability to utilize words in order to get my point across. I had to review a book for my International Politics class, and while I won't get into it on here, the book was about a contemporary issue which consisted of points and arguments that are in complete disaccord with what I believe. I was so grateful I was able to review the book and subtly state my opinion without having to give up my principles and without sounding like one of those "narrow-minded conservatives driving an SUV", as my book so aptly put it.

I suppose I got this trait from my grandpa. He passed away on 16 September of this year, but his love of words was unmatched by anyone else I have ever met. He was such a wonderful writer- he was able to communicate exactly how he felt without throwing it in your face (well, most of the time), and he was always able to do it in an educated manner. He had quite the vocabulary, and to this day- whenever someone uses a ten-dollar word, my mom, my sister, and I are quick to point out, "That's a grandpa word!" I am extremely grateful to him for this legacy he has left me and the fullness it brings to my life. Thanks Grandpa!