Lately, I have been calling myself a writer a lot more than I usually do.  Usually, I define myself in the way a lot of people do at college: someone from Pennsylvania, an English major, a future English teacher, an Eagles fan, someone who likes (insert hobby/interest here), and the list goes on. But lately, the word writer has been how I’ve defined myself, which is interesting considering it is not how I have defined myself before.

But the fact of the matter is that I do love writing. I love the process of putting words together in ways that elicit an almost audible sound, a taste on the tongue, or a sense in the heart. I like the process of research, finding the facts, putting the puzzle pieces together, and presenting it in a compelling way. I like honing my words, finding just the right ones to fit what I am trying to say. My favorite thing is a blank Google Doc, waiting for my words to fill it at the beginning of a project.  

The other day I was in counseling, like many of my friends and classmates. Usually in counseling, I throw metaphors and similes around left and right in an attempt to communicate how I feel. But that day was different. The words got stuck in my throat, like a sandbag blocking the river from overflowing (metaphor!) and it was unnerving. I felt out of my element, unable to articulate just how I felt. It threw me off and made me realize just how reliant we are on words. 

Think about it: we rely on words for everything. I tell my friends about my day in words. You are reading these words on this page right now. We do assignments in words to show what we are learning. Words fly around us at lightning speed each day. 

Because words are how we do everything, we show our intelligence with our words. When we write or read aloud, people make split-second, implicit judgements about us and our intelligence. So, how we write, how we read, how we use our precious words, is how people judge what we know and how well we know it. 

Our words have power. Our words carry our knowledge and our perspectives. Our words hold stories and the sacred space between us. Some of the most powerful moments and most hurtful conflicts I have had with people are because of good words or lack thereof. 

A few Tuesdays ago, our country experienced what many would call the pinnacle of democracy. Many people woke up Wednesday morning to the news of the president-elect and felt despair. The power of words has been so prevalent in this election cycle. The misuse of words was used and abused on one side. The other side leveraged the power of words to bring people together. And yet, misinformation and the language of hate ultimately trumped all. 

I do not know what the next four years will hold. I carry fear and anxiety into the new year, into the next era of this country, and I know many of you feel the same way, if not stronger.

So, as I enter the new year, I will define myself as a writer. Words linger longer than we will ever know. Words echo in time and take up space in writing. I will define myself as a writer because the words I put into the world, into time, last longer than I will. I pray that my words will be good and used for good.