Footprints of Words

Aug 9

Dear Friend,

Today I discovered something curious about words.

I have always thought of words as little sounds that flutter out of our mouths and disappear into the air. Like little bubbles floating away on a summer breeze. I wondered if words are not as small as they seem.

Maybe they are little seeds.

Some words grow beautiful gardens.

Some words grow dark shadows.

I was sitting beside my little window with my warm cup of cocoa, watching the leaves dance outside. The wind was moving them this way and that, and I wondered if the leaves ever worried about where they would land.

Then I had a curious thought.

What if the leaves are not simply being carried by the wind?

What if they are part of the dance?

It made me think about all the words I have whispered to myself over time.

The little words I say when I try something new.
The little words I say when I make a mistake.
The little words I say when I wonder if I am enough.

I realized that I have been listening to my own voice for a very long time.

Isn’t that a curious thing?

Out of all the voices in the world, the one we hear most often is our own.

So I began paying closer attention.

When I stumbled, could I say, “I am learning,” instead of “I cannot”?

When I felt unsure, could I say, “I am discovering,” instead of “I am lost”?

When something did not go as planned, could I give myself the same kindness I would give a friend?

I don’t think our words make every storm disappear. Even little dragons still have rainy days. But perhaps our words help us decide how we will walk through the rain.

Maybe words are tiny lanterns we carry.

And maybe, when we choose them with care, they help us find paths we could not see before.

I am still learning this, dear friend.

Tomorrow I may forget.
Tomorrow I may say something that feels heavy.
Tomorrow I may need to remind myself again.

But that is okay.

Every morning gives us a new first sentence.

A new beginning.
A new little seed to plant.

So tonight, before I tuck my wings in and drift to sleep, I am going to choose my words carefully.

Until we meet again...

May your tea be warm,

May your books be well loved,

May your mailbox hold unexpected kindness,