This post is going to look a little different; rather than showcasing a poem and writing a reflection for it, I’m going to dedicate some time to chat about the power of words. This is a topic that has been on my heart for years, and I now feel called to share about it here. I hope you humor me for a bit!
Yes, you read the heading correctly: I hate the word “nice.” My husband and I have laughed many times about how much it bothers me (specifically in the context of complimenting a person). We jokingly use it with each other all the time, but let me explain my reasoning.
My high school hosted many retreats, and there were always ice breakers involved. One time, each girl had a piece of paper taped to her back and a pen in her hand. We walked around writing compliments on each other. At the end, everyone took off the piece of paper and read them. I distinctly remember reading mine and realizing that 90% of the compliments on my paper read something along the lines of “You’re so nice.”
There was something about it that bothered me. Of course, I think the girls who wrote on my paper were being genuine in their compliments; they just wanted to express that I’m kind to them when we interact. But there was something about the word that felt shallow and left me feeling unseen.
A couple days ago I listened to one of Joseph Pearce’s lectures about Catholicism in the Lord of the Rings series, where he talked about Tolkien’s profession as a linguist. Tolkien knew the power of a word because he understood its entire history. Pearce went on to provide an example; can you guess what word he picked?
Nice.
Turns out the word used to have a negative twist in Shakespearean times, meaning “too prim.” And further back, in Old English, it actually meant the opposite of its current meaning: nasty.
Poets in a special way are called to make each of their words intentional. Poems don’t typically contain a large word count, so they must be packed with meaning. In my pursuit of creating written art that is true, good, and beautiful, I have learned to choose words that move the heart toward heaven.
Isn’t that a lesson for every human? We are beings who crave to be seen and feel connected to one another. We’re all here to be saints and push each other toward heaven; why not let our words echo that?
I challenge us all to think about the way we compliment the people in our lives. What are your thoughts on the power of words? How can we make them feel loved through our words? And what words can we replace with “nice?”
Let me know in the comments!
Of Wood and Word Happenings
I was recently interviewed by Dominic de Souza from Legend Fiction and had a blast! We talked about Fools for Heaven, current projects, discernment, crowdfunding, and everything in between. Click here to watch!I was recently interviewed by Dominic de Souza from Legend Fiction and had a blast! We talked about Fools for Heaven, current projects, discernment, crowdfunding, and everything in between. Click the image to watch!
And as always, you can find all of my work at ofwoodandword.com.
Through Christ,
Stephanie Petters
I'm so glad you wrote this, and I think you did so in a much more charitable way than I could have! "Nice" has always bothered me too because of that idea of remaining unseen, and it's interesting how such a mishandling of words (even if not intentional) can preclude a true communion in friendships and relationships. Writing poetry can't help but make you see the world and others in a more attentive way, and that way of seeing really demands from us a search for the right language because what we are really after is truth.