Choose words wisely

Available for over a year

Good morning. “I have no words.” “I’m speechless.” “I’m at a loss for words.” Such claims of missing language are often used as stand-ins. We somehow understand that such words mean “I’m feeling all these emotions, these feelings, but my language isn’t able to express the depth or intensity of my experience.” Likewise, phrases such as “the silence was deafening” speak volumes about how the absence of language can feel overwhelmingly powerful and significant. Language, to me, is a remarkable gift. It is through words that we can share our deepest thoughts, express our emotions, and weave the fabric of our communities. The Qur'an itself emphasises the significance of language, reminding us that our diversity in tongues and colours is among the signs of God, designed for us to learn from one another and celebrate our differences. Yet our words can also hurt, they can separate us. There’s an old playground ditty: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Even as a tiny girl I knew it was a lie. Words can scar us. I would even go so far as to say that words can damage the very fabric of society and community. I love words. As a writer I am supposed to know words, to have words, and yet sometimes, when I watch the way language is wielded to hurt the most vulnerable, or when I note the absence of words to condemn the pain that I see in the world… Well! I can be “at a loss for words”, as “the silence is deafening.” In these times, I pray that I learn to use the gift of words wisely, and through them build bridges of understanding rather than walls. Ameen