The English Girl Loves Her Words.

“Through their own words, they will be exposed.” - Sinead O’Conner, “Emperor’s New Clothes”



I’ve never been a huge Sinead O’Conner fan. She’s gorgeous and talented and has an amazing voice. But at the time I listened to her (waaaay back when, not going to purposely age myself by telling you exactly here), and her hit song was “Nothing Compares 2 U,” my favorite of hers was actually “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” I disagreed with her political and religious views, but I can still appreciate that she had talent. So back to the fable.

First: LOVE that fable. It’s about a completely narcissistic man who believed what any of his followers would tell him. It helped me deal with narcissistic men (and women) in my life… but, again, that’s a story for another day. It also made me understand that everyone – including myself – is narcissistic sometimes, in some ways. It’s not necessarily a bad thing…. If you realize it for what it is.

So today’s entry goes back to that quote. The last time I had a blog, it was the header. Because, honestly? It’s ridiculously simple and ridiculously true. People say actions speak louder than words? Ha. I disagree. Your words speak volume. Their words speak volumes. IF you know how to listen.

*I* read folks by their words, not by their actions. Crazy, huh? But think about it.

We’re taught (at least as women) that saying “I love you” is just words: Look at the actions instead, ladies! Okay, there’s something to that, in a way. But I also think it's bullshit.

I was talking with my cousin earlier tonight and I mentioned to her in our marathon call (for me- 90 minutes!) that my dad could never say “I’m sorry” when I was growing up. And I learned that behavior. I never said it for years. I’d try to make up for it in actions instead: being kind or loving, doing little things to try to make up for it in actions.

Why not just SAY THE WORDS?

Because, through our words, we are exposed. They make us vulnerable. They make us human. And it’s *so much harder to say the words than to do an action to represent the word.*

Sure, when someone loves me, I want them to show it. But I also want them to say it. Why are *words* discounted these days? Why don’t they mean anything anymore?

Maybe because my passion is words. I write. I edit. I speak. I teach. The written word is amazing to me. But the SPOKEN word is glorious. For centuries and generations, the spoken stories passed down from generation to generation was what was real. Even when there was no written language, spoken language was the way to pass on culture, faith, emotions and religion.

So why are actions “more important” now than words? In my world? They’re not.

Stop thinking actions mean more than words. Open your mind and listen to WORDS.

“When the right person knocks, be ready to open the door.”


I’m paraphrasing now because I was idiot enough to lose the exact quote (I'll get better at this as I go along, friends. I promise). But it stuck with me, and here it is, even if I have to take liberties with it.

This came from a woman I admired the instant I met her. When I took a job up in Marietta a couple years ago, a place that had to eventually lay me off (a fact I took well enough when the owner cried when he did it and now turned out the best thing that ever happened to me career-wise), she was the one I admired on the spot.

Oh! I was so intimidated by Sharon. She is talented. Classy. Educated. Someone I classified as the “typical Southern spitfire of a lady” though, if I remember correctly, she may not even be from here originally? But, oh! From day one I wanted her to realize that I knew my job and was a good, intelligent woman too (just like her, I hoped?)! Thus, the intimidation. And respect.

If she’s reading this now, I think she might even be amazed I felt that way. I always played that cool, of course. At that place of employment, I KNEW I could do my job. I knew I could do it well. No – scratch that: more than well! But I didn’t care if my boss, my boss’s son, or any of the other folks there appreciated my talent or not. I did her. Sharon's opinion was what mattered.

Why? That's another story for another day.

But today? I’m kinda really lucky that Ms. Sharon and I are still friends on Facebook now. And that we chatted in private messages the other day. See, the thing is? She recently took a chance on an old love without any preconceived notions of where it was going to go – and because of that, it’s working. And when I goo’ed and gushed, thrilled for her (the things of movies, this is!), and lamented for myself(not because I don't think it'll happen: it will. I just want it to more sooner than later. I have a blog now, afterall!) She gave me those words:

“When the right person knocks, just be sure to open the door.”


I'm keeping it unlocked.



(BTW? The picture is a rock I found. In that exact shape. Dorothy Gale Red made it what it is today.)

“So many people live life searching for happiness but never really find it because they’re so busy looking ahead and forgetting to stay in the moment.”

With my friend Lila’s words in her last blog entry, I am now inspired to actually begin mine. And I mean really begin mine, not pop off a couple entries every couple of months ago and call it a blog.

I just finished following a year of her life as she moved out of Atlanta, westward to Oregon, and have been incredibly envious of her in so many ways. Not for the moving so much (though, oh! That’s a story for another day), but mostly because she had REASON TO WRITE. Oh, was I envious of that! So envious of her! I didn’t have anything to write about. I’m not on an adventure like that! Yeah, yeah, we all get that way. But I’m a writer! I need something to write about!

And as hers drew to a close, that one sentence way deep in her blog was the very bit of flint I needed to start this fire.

So, so simple.

How often do you hear someone say something or read something in a book or hear something in a song and it just got you thinking? This happens to me all the time. So how appropriate was it that her statement became that message to me? Well…damn, I’d say! :)

I’m going to stay exactly in these moments here. I’m happy, folks: don’t get me wrong there. But I’m going to stay exactly in the moment HERE. And use the inspiration around me to try to start this writing thing again.

I already have a few jotted down. Wise words from friends. Idiotic ones from others. A lyric from a song. That sort of thing. You’ll probably find yourselves popping up in these pages, especially if you’re particularly clever or on Facebook an awful lot saying a bunch of clever or idiotic things.

I’m done searching. Out-frickin-standing. :)