Words Words
Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish. — Hermann Hesse
Words. One of our phrases is "I know how the words work". That phrase shows up for the most part when we are debating the exact meaning of the words strung together in the sentence and what the speaker actually meant. It is amazing the subtleties of language. It amazes me that children are so perceptive to it. My DS is very good at dissecting what I’ve said and once the loop hole is exposed he dives right in hoping I will aquesce to his idea. Thankfully I have the title of mom. Sad that at times the title and a firm I said so are about all I have. Thank goodness for the creation of that phrase. Of course I then kick myself at the stupidity of phrasing the request with the loop hole waving loudly at him. Like walking into a sliding glass door. You might know it is there but some times it is closed and you just can’t see it until SMACK!
I think at times I am foolish. I try to explain myself only to muck it up. When read from a different view the distortion is immense. Some times I get so frustrated.
I have often wished for that talent that some posess, some as early as diaper days, to make some comment that seems so benign that it takes a few second before it whaps you in the back of the head and isn’t so harmless. As in You’ve Got Mail… the ability to say what you mean, no matter how awful at the precise moment you want to say it. That is a talent. I suppose at times it could be a curse.
