“The pen is mightier than the sword”.........at least so says English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839. But this is the twenty-first century – not the nineteenth, and times have radically changed. Today most people’s writing involves emails, text messages, twittering, Facebook and the like; lots of touching base but little true writing.
So in these days we might ask afresh, Is the pen still mightier than the sword? Should the written word still be considered a powerful weapon in the modern culture in which we live?
The effort of putting pen to paper (metaphorically speaking) is considerable. Every article we write may not have a powerful result, but it could!
It can be pervasive.
It can permeates lives, penetrating where spoken words would be shut out.
One of the reasons for this is that there is an implied acceptance when we choose to pick up something to read. In essence, we have given it the right to speak into our lives.
It can permeates lives, penetrating where spoken words would be shut out.
One of the reasons for this is that there is an implied acceptance when we choose to pick up something to read. In essence, we have given it the right to speak into our lives.
Because of this, an article can often penetrate a resistant heart, for just the action of choosing to read it opens the door to the truth it contains.
The pervasive power of writing also comes from the fact that, since written words easily endure, they often make it to places we would never dream.
So let the writing begin!
“A drop of ink may make a million think.”
~~George Gordon Byron
~~George Gordon Byron
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| Photo taken at the British Library by my blog friend Cynthia when I visited her in London in 2008. |
6 comments:
Awesome photo!
Lovely photo and well said on the written word.
I also like that book bench. I do enjoy public art.
Yeah the "written" word doesn't mean written by hand these days. But the tool shouldn't matter as much as the message/thought/feeling of your words. I don't care for twitter at all. I have mixed feeling about facebook. I consider blogs great. This electronic medium I believe will last. I wish my mother could have blogged about her thoughts and feelings decades ago. I can only hope some future descendant or just a curious reader finds meaning, understanding or just enjoyment in one of postings. Blog On!
Thanks Debra and Christine for liking the photo, it was a very interesting library.
Bill, I think that words and writing are hardwired into human beings. So words will always be powerful whatever form they take.
I think we sometimes hit "middle age" and finally realise what is really going on. That is why I love blogging. Our parents wrote copious letters.....I still have some of my father's letters to my mother written during WW2.
I tell you what though I find it incredibly difficult to hand write anything these days. I really think we are going to lose the ability unless we practice putting pen to paper more often. I am so used to typing everything that I rarely pick up a pen. It is scary how you lose the ability to running write even. My handwriting looks so untidy.
Thanks for always adding to the conversation Bill, it is much appreciated.
Peggy xxxxxx
Merry Christmas Peggy! Have a Happy New Year!
Thanks for your Christmas and New Year greeting Christine.
Hopefully I will have more time to blog in 2019.......that is the plan!
Take care my friend
Peggy xxx
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