Words have set whole nations
in motion…Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the
world. Joseph Conrad
In the beginning.
In the beginning, when God created
the world, it was formless. The dark and the light were all intermingled,
swirling in the open space. The moon and
stars were in two opposite sides, and the sun tucked in a far shady corner. And
so, he patiently constructed an order and set everything in the right place. He
did it all in 6 days and produced the biggest, most told story of them all.
When I sit across my loyal
computer for a split second, I feel the same kind of power. I am a creator; I
create worlds with the movement of my fingers. I take words and tame them. I
pull them out of the void or send them back. I place them one next to the other
and then on a moment’s whim I rearrange them again and again. I create meaning;
I create chaos, I create life.
I am a story teller, and with this
power, I can make you listen to me and ask for more. You want to know if the
stories I tell you are true, I can see it in your eyes. “Did it happen to
you?” The question is starting to form
on your lips. “Did you meet these people?” your forehead is knotting. “This is
too wonderful to be true,” a second of doubtful look. But I am the story
teller, and you are afraid if you express your doubts there will be no more
stories. You are addicted now, and you want more, more of the sweet substance
that intoxicates the mind and makes you go into an imaginary realm where
everything is possible, and the truth is an option, not a must.
So, let me tell you a story.
Like so many good stories it will
start with the words: “Long time ago, in a far away land…” and already you are
captured by the words, taking them all in, and the magic begins; a picture
created. “Long time ago…far away land," you can see it. The light is
different, darker, the shape of the land is unfamiliar, and the thick, thick
woods are awe inspiring. In the distance, casting its shade and looking ominous
you can spot the castle. I did not have to tell you; you created it all in your
mind. I just gave you the cues, and you took them and flew away on the wings of
your imagination.
Ah, the power of the words.
Like a kaleidoscope, they move, turn and
rotate to create pictures that are vivid and enchanting. Like pebbles on the
beach, I can collect them one by one and hold them in the palm of my hand. Each
one is different; some are round and smooth some ragged and scruffy. Some words
are powerful and expressive and others soft and luring. They are all out there
free for the use, and I collect them one by one, examine them carefully and
then match them together to create the stories you like to hear.
And the stories, you are getting
impatient now; there is a demanding tone in your voice you want an answer.
Were they really lost in the
forest all by themselves frightened and cold? Did their ship sink in the storm
and they swept to a deserted island? Did the charming prince win the battle and
the princess' heart? Did they really live happily together ever after?
Does it really matter?
I send my hand and collect the
words. Like a match maker, I pair them, like a painter I patiently lay the
background, add the right colors to set the mood and place. Like a weaver,
weaving a plot with the utmost respect, stringing all the threads without
losing any, to create a beautiful fabric.
I am the story teller, only the
story teller. I can create but I can take you just so far, only part of the
way, and when we get there you will have to use your powers to move on.
