Allied Gardens Currents
The Power of Words
by Lisa J. Davis
Words are truly powerful things. They are something that becomes
a part of ourselves, our history, and our legacy. From my own
life experiences, I have understood how words, simple words said
in passing to a child, can leave an impression and help manifest
a future purpose.
As a writer. I was born with words and stories of hope. When I
was four, my mother let me construct words on a typewriter,
always encouraging me to create more. Through the years, she
gave me the words of strength, hope, and love that pushed me to
become the first person on both sides of my family to graduate
from college. When I was in college, my English professor, Dr.
Joanne Dempsey, told me one rainy day, "One day, you will be a
writer." I've kept these women's powerful words in my heart and
have, in turn, tried to give words of hope and encouragement to
others.
Through the years, I have tried to pass on the legacy that Dr.
Dempsey, perhaps unknowingly, left for me that one rainy day.
She taught me, as did my mother, that words spoken to an
impressionable mind can invoke a sense of purpose that fulfills
a destiny. For, indeed, all of us have a purpose. Our purpose
lies like a tiny ember in our heart, stoked into brilliant flame
by the kind words of a stranger, a mentor, a parent, or a
friend. A teacher can tell a struggling student, “You’re smart,”
and those words help him find the confidence to become President
of the United States. A stranger can say “You’re pretty” to a
young girl from Mississippi and those words help her become a
beloved humanitarian. A parent can say, “You’re special,” and
those words can help his children unleash the power of
potential.
Each day I give my two daughters, Dempsey and Ceiley, the words
to reach forward and fulfill their purpose. I believe that we
are given the gift of a child and, like the wise elders of years
past, we are meant to infuse them with all of our history and
knowledge. The words of the past and the words of the future
connect us all like links in a chain. All powerful words give
hope. The mightiest words are those we share with our children.
They must know the words of our ancestors for all families are
linked together like a chain. Children must know the value of
their particular link. They must strengthen their bond and pass
on the words to their children so that future generations can
grow in spirit.
But how do we do this? Children are really taking a back seat in
our society. Many children are spoiled, lacking nothing, but
lacking much. For what they lack are the words that would jump
start their human spirit. The words that would make them tingle
with an excitement to learn new things and explore their natural
environment.
As a writer, I have crafted many stories about human
relationships, but one day I was really struck by this
particular notion of purpose. My daughters and I were walking
home from school when a simple brown leaf fell silently from an
oak tree lining the sidewalk. No one really noticed. My kids
kept walking but suddenly, for me, time stood still. It was sort
of a "if a tree falls in the woods" moment. Why did the leaf
fall, I wondered, and who really cared? I realized that even
that leaf had a purpose, one that it may not have even realized.
We are all like the leaf. We all have a deep, profound purpose
to our lives that we may not even understand until it becomes
manifest. This purpose may be very simple on the surface, but
may deeply affect the course of many lives. We are all
instrumental in each other's greater purpose. You never know
when you might be the one with the words to create the next
Mother Theresa or the next loving mother who nurtures and
creates a wonderful child.
I have written a story that I believe can impact the lives of
future generations as many books have done for me. That is what
writers really do - create stories that leave an impression and
help craft the words to inspire innovative thinking and new
direction. When I searched for agents and publishers to accept
the story, I was told that "books with themes don't sell." This
infuriated me. Some of the best words, one's that have shaped
lives and impacted histories, have come from thematic works -
Greek tragedy, Aesop's fables, Shakespeare. Many of the
children's stories I grew up with in the 70's wouldn't have been
published by today's standards because they "don't have market
appeal."
My story is called A Simple Brown Leaf. It tells the story of an
autumn leaf that thinks its life is over when it falls from a
tree, not realizing that it is being watched by a squirrel who
plans to use it to line her nest for winter. Its main message is
that every living creature has a purpose, no matter how we try
to trivialize it.
I truly believe that this is one of the most important messages
we can give children today. Many children grow up believing that
they could disappear off of the face of the Earth and no one
would notice. Kids today grow up in a world of despair and lack
a sense of hope. It doesn't have to be like this.
Words are powerful things. Perhaps the solution is simple. Could
I child pick up this book and begin thinking about his/her
life's path? Can we instill a sense of importance from a young
age - a sense of knowing that 'I have a place in the world?' I
think all of our futures depend on finding the words within
ourselves that say, 'I am powerful!'"
Keep in mind:
Your words are you legacy
Never underestimate the power of your words
Sharing a story is a great way to share your words
Words spoken to an impressionable mind can invoke a sense of
purpose that fulfills a destiny
The mightiest words are those we share with our children
L.J. Davis
is the author of A Simple Brown Leaf, a
story for a new generation of children. "Every
child has a purpose. Every child asks
the question, 'Who am I going to
become.'"
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