One of the topics I’d like to write about today is writing. Writing, to me is one of the most important aspects of language. I find it funny that I am saying this, considering the fact that I don’t really like to write. My entire life has been a struggle to complete writing assignments. Growing up, my parents would always try and get me to write in a journal but I would always refuse. That being said, I’m starting to understand just how important it is. Writing creates a bridge between people, generations, time, and many different barriers. Writing also preserves languages and makes it possible for easier communication. It is interesting to think that we can read something today that was written hundreds of years ago. When we read it, we then become connected to the writer. It could be a journal, a fictional, or a scientific theory but still connects us to the writer and others living at the time. In the Church we are taught to write journals and also read the journals or historical accounts of our ancestors. Many studies have shown that, through reading about one’s heritage, people become emotionally stronger and more resilient. Through reading we are able to build this strength because we can see the trials and difficulties that others went through and in knowing that they could pass through it and survive then we can too. I recently decided to keep a journal and, in doing so, I am noticing that it even helps me in my own daily life. I can remember the things I have done better and it helps me meditate on what’s going on in my life. I’ve noticed that sometimes I feel detached from life, which I’m sure many people have also felt, but through writing about my life, I have felt a change in that. Writing communicates to the mind and helps it process information better. Writing creates that link that can pass through time and still communicate effectively. As I grew up, although I didn't enjoy writing, I did enjoy reading a lot. I read many books growing up which helped me become more educated in language. I was able to communicate on a higher level than my classmates because of how much I read. I think that reading and writing should go hand in hand. My reading was a very jealous action. I never once thought that somebody had to write all the things that I was reading. I never realized the time and thought it takes to create a story. I never thought how much planning it takes to weave a plot. I still don’t understand it, but I am now realizing that it is very difficult. It takes great effort to write. In knowing this, I appreciate more the things I have read and things people write. I think the most appropriate way to show this appreciation is to write. I’m not saying that for every book we read we should write one, no. What we should do is take the time to write important things down so that people in future know what happened and what was going on in our time. The history books need content and I think that would be a valuable way to fill them up.
Writing was the original way to communicate great distances. Imagine what it’d be like if we couldn’t write letters and the mailman would have to go and recite each message. Would he mix messages, forget important details, change words on purpose. It is interesting to think. There would be so much confusion! Writing helps messages stay the same because it is something permanent. If language were to be compared to states of matter, writing would be a solid and speaking would be a liquid or maybe even a gas. There is so much more power in writing than there is in speaking. Why is it that they document speeches? If it were only meant to be heard then there would be no point but since writing preserves then it is important for it to be written. If we want our lives to be preserved, if we want to be alive after we die then we must write. Nowadays, there are so many different ways to write and document our experiences. Facebook and other social media platforms could be used in this aspect. Many people do use them to document their lives but don’t always do it the best way possible. It’s not a big deal to say what you had for lunch or other trivial things like that but feelings, accomplishments, trials, and other things like that will have a much more lasting impact.
When we write, we also take more time to think about what we’re going to say and how we want to say it. I think that’s why writing is often more powerful than speaking. The more we think and careful phrase what we want to say, the more effect it is going to have.
Writing is like another way to preserve memory. Our minds go through so much information that many things are often forgotten. Through writing, we make it possible to recall information just by looking it up. This is also very important in communication. If we want to say something to someone but forget what it was it is useless. When we write we can then remember and communicate our message.
Writing can also help clear your head and help you say what you want to say and only that, rather than useless information that happens to come out of your mouth clouding what you really wanted to say. I have even noticed that writing does such a great job of clearing my mind that mine goes completely empty! I do attribute that to my desire as a young buck to run from writing whenever I got the chance. In speaking there are often too many things that are said that, in reality, could and should have been omitted. It’s true that also happens in writing but I believe it happens less. In writing more, we can help focus our thoughts to just communicate the important things. I think many conflicts could be avoided if we spoke similar to how we write. I also think that if we write more, that will influence our speech in a desirable way.
In my Spanish class, we had a test where we were given poems that we hadn't studied in class but had studied other poems written by the same poets. We then had to identify who had written each poem based on the language used and the writing style and other things. It was difficult but possible because how we write also identifies who we are. Each of us think in such a unique way that our writing style is defined by who we are. That is another reason why writing is so beautiful. We can tell each other apart from the way we write.
