20190826 00102e 3 minutes
Responsibility!

Think of all the works written in the western languages since the beginning of time. Then think as well of all the works translated into our western languages from other languages.

Think of all the thoughts from classical times that have been expressed in our languages, the theological, political, mathematical, scientific and literature which have been the basis of most of our thinking for the last three thousand years.

Think of all the recent non-fiction books, the books for learning, for passing on information from one generation to another: the poetry, prose, plays, memoirs, biographies, histories and how-to’s; also treatises on science, mathematics, politics philosophy and religion.

Think of all the works of fiction: all the mysteries, crime stories, romance, family sagas, histories, teen fiction, children’s books
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Then think of how those words were transmitted to us: everything was expressed in words made up of just twenty six little letters. Can you believe that? Can you imagine the responsibility those little letters carry every day?

All those thoughts, deep and trivial, intelligent and dumb, sad and happy, exciting and gloomy, all those thoughts and books, were achieved with words put in many different orders, and made up from only twenty six little letters. Wow! I’m glad I don’t have responsibility like that.

The thing that amazes me, when at an open mic or a Writer’s Group, is the diversity of offerings and ideas.

We all start with the same building blocks – the same 26 letters, the same dictionaries, and the same five minutes of time. But how we use them with what we produce, is amazingly diverse. It reflects our incredibly different backgrounds, stages of evolution, and the influences which trigger such diverse responses. Vive la difference!