Thursday, December 4, 2003

Great words

Do you like words? Just for their own sake, I mean. I do.

Isn't it amazing that a simple sound can convey an emotion, paint a portrait, illuminate a thought? And writing is downright magical, if you think about it. Mere patterns of ink on a page transport us to other worlds, bring us to tears, elevate us to greatness, even teach us to format a hard drive. (OK, that last one may be pushing it. But you get the idea.)

I noticed one today that set me off: "wretched." As in, "Whatever will your wretched sister-in-law say?" You can actually see her, can't you? Her posture, her arrogance, her overdone hair. I'm sure she smokes, and she's absolutely vicious. Don't you love it? Wretched. Nice one.

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