Just Write {21}

February 6, 2012

We found some keys in the parking lot during pick-up from school, on the ground. I picked them up and looked around. No one. I looked for an answer but there were no words. No name or kind of car, just a symbol. I’m sure the symbol should have meant something to me but it didn’t. I needed words.

We put the keys on the mirror of the driver’s side on the nearest car and Miles wanted to know what would happen if that wasn’t the right car.

I don’t know, honey, but we tried. Maybe the people who find them next will keep trying. The keys were right by that car, so let’s hope we did the right thing.

I say, Use your words a lot, all through the day, teaching. Miles says his teacher says that, too. He doesn’t like to talk to her all that much. He says he’s too shy. I try to tell him that his words will give him power but he’s not ready to use them.

After my three are in bed at night I play Words With Friends and Hanging With Friends and Scramble With Friends. It could be said that I have an addiction to words. I type them out in posts and emails and status updates and tweets and I read, read, read in books and in posts and in status updates and tweets. But in Kindergarten, I vaguely remember, I too was afraid of words.

I don’t know when or how it changed but I was even in a special reading class in second grade. I was behind. Not ahead. Nervous and shy with words. But it did change and then years later, my roommate and bestie, Katie and I would play Boggle after nights of serving tacos and burritos until the wee hours, while eating pizza rolls. And I would sit on the stoop of the front door to our apartment and read books. I still clearly remember reading I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb on those steps.

A lot of the time I miss the years of words that weren’t digital. Unscreened. Boggle tiles that rattled, pencils and paper and the flipping of the pages with my feet on the next step.

The keys just reminded me that everything is harder without words. So I’m glad to have them in all their ways.

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This is the 21st installment of Just Write, an exercise in free writing your ordinary and extraordinary moments. {Please see the details here.}  I would love to read your freely written words so join me and link up below. You can add the url of your post at any time. Just be sure it’s a link to your Just Write post, not to your main page. There are really no rules, besides Just Write! (Then link back to this post in your post so people know where to go if they’d like to join in.) (Any links not following those two guidelines will be deleted.) 

Also. Please take a moment to visit someone else who has linked up! It’s a really good way to meet new writers and get inspired by the meaning behind their moments. Word?

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{ 22 comments }

suzannah {so much shouting, so much laughter} February 6, 2012 at 10:30 pm

there is something romantic about this. lovely.
suzannah {so much shouting, so much laughter} recently posted..notes to the new mom {practices of parenting}

Amanda February 6, 2012 at 10:48 pm

Beautiful. I wrote about words earlier this week. They mean everything to me, too.
Amanda recently posted..Do I just hold on tight?

Adventures In Babywearing February 6, 2012 at 10:56 pm

I am fond of words. It was nice of you to right the keys, I have a feeling they made it to their owner in time.

Steph
Adventures In Babywearing recently posted..Everything is coming up Milhouse!

Gianna February 6, 2012 at 11:14 pm

OH, yeah. There are times when I just pull out a notebook and write with a pen or a pencil. I love doing that. Sometimes it’s even easier for me to organize my thoughts that way.

tracy@sellabitmum February 6, 2012 at 11:24 pm

The only item I wanted of my grandmother’s when she died was her boggle game. She would let me stay up late when I stayed over so we could play Boggle. Now I have this game with the 100’s of words she wrote on steno paper through the years. Bliss.
tracy@sellabitmum recently posted..I Blame our Ungrateful Society on Baskin Robbins

Amy @ Never-True Tales February 6, 2012 at 11:31 pm

I teach that exact type of writing/reading class, for kids from K-2nd. Your words here made me happy.
Amy @ Never-True Tales recently posted..Punctuate.

Bridget February 6, 2012 at 11:40 pm

“I try to tell him that his words will give him power but he’s not ready to use them.” <—I know how he feels sometimes.
Bridget recently posted..Nutrition Possible {GiveAway and Coupon Opportunity}

Michelle February 7, 2012 at 2:37 am

I really, really love your words.
Michelle recently posted..articles home

Maegan February 7, 2012 at 5:08 am

Your words are really great you always make me smile..Thank you for sharing it..
Maegan recently posted..Murano glass art

Barb February 7, 2012 at 6:29 am

Yes, words do make life easier… and more enjoyable. “An addiction to words” all these years I never knew what to call it :)
Barb recently posted..fun with math

Galit Breen February 7, 2012 at 8:16 am

I’m so glad that you found your words, and are forever modeling-teaching-showing your loves how very good it is to use them. xo
Galit Breen recently posted..Together Quiet

designhermomma February 7, 2012 at 10:53 am

I say “use you words” all the time with nola. I say it so much, I’ve developed a love/hate with the phrase…
designhermomma recently posted..I’m tired but I’m working, yeah

karla porter archer February 7, 2012 at 11:34 am

I love words too, though I often struggle to find just the right one. I’m learning to really listen to other’s words and not just feel like i’ve got to be the one using them.

nicole February 7, 2012 at 12:44 pm

Scramble is my new favorite game. And I am also a lover of words, in all their forms.
nicole recently posted..Just Write: Clawing Her Way Out

Jenn February 7, 2012 at 1:01 pm

I miss non-digital words too!! We still play Boggle and Scrabble, and I love it. Great post!
Jenn recently posted..a pocketful of sunshine

The Drama Mama February 7, 2012 at 1:08 pm

my son, 4, has speech issues. We’ve been focusing on using his words since he was 2 because of that. I totally get it. There are many moments when he wants to say something but won’t do it unless I am standing right beside him. Even then it comes out as a whisper.
The Drama Mama recently posted..Breakfast with Scooby

Julie @DutchBeingMe February 7, 2012 at 4:28 pm

What’s interesting is that I was afraid of words as well. Now – in my 30’s – I’m finally finding them, finally coming back to me without fear of people judging me for it.

Oh, and I have a hanging with friend’s game to get back to. :)
Julie @DutchBeingMe recently posted..#JustWrite: The Being Single Penalty…

Adrienne February 7, 2012 at 10:10 pm

My mind so misses words, but my eyes don’t. Seems like working a full-time job where you have to read all day just sucks it out of you.
Adrienne recently posted..Dark Dreams/Dark Thoughts.

JCK (Motherscribe) February 8, 2012 at 12:11 am

And so…JCK was so excited to finally be in the company of these literary women and she messed up her URL link to the post. Heather, I’m sorry. JCK will follow the directions next time.

Honored to be in this company!!
JCK (Motherscribe) recently posted..and I yearn for the elusive creamy center

Heather February 8, 2012 at 9:18 am

JCK is awesome. We’re honored to have you.
Heather is not upset by incorrect linking. She realizes that a mother’s brain is often too busy to follow directions, especially the first time. She has linking grace. heh.

xo

Jade @ Tasting Grace February 8, 2012 at 4:51 am

Sorry I’m joining in really late this week!

Words can be both powerful and impotent, loud and meek. I’m glad you found your words. I hope (and am sure, in time) your son will find his.
Jade @ Tasting Grace recently posted..A word left unspoken…

Liv February 10, 2012 at 12:30 am

from one word-lover to another: i hear you! and i am grateful for the nudge you give us to keep our word-love-affairs alive. :) have a happy day!
Liv recently posted..Oops, I did it again.

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