Words are so important.
How you say something to someone is almost as important as what you’re ultimately trying to communicate. After most conversations, particularly important ones, I replay what I said in my head. Sometimes, I’ll realize I could have chosen better words or phrasing, and imagning myself on the receiving end of what I said, that it could have been heard differently than what I intended.
There have been instances where I’ve gone back to someone days after a conversation and said something like, “Hey, on Tuesday when we were talking I used the word ’embarrassed,’ but really what I meant was something closer to ‘regretful’ or even ‘ashamed.'” It may seem small, but, at least to me, there are tiny differences in connotation which can make or break what I’m trying to say.
Speaking without forethought does have value… but most of the times I’ve got what I want to say at least planned to some degree.
And that’s what I wanted to write. Maybe short things like this with no real point are how I get started… get writing again. Done.
Also written on this day...
- sights and sounds - 2009
- atoms of music - 2008
- travel blitz - 2007