Where Do Words Go?

 Words are a funny thing.  I find them rolling around in my head all day, and too often, long into the night.  Where do words go?  Well, these days since I have been a bit of an Alaska hermit, and negligent on writing, they have stuck with me, and gone on little day hikes like these.  There's something wonderful about blue skies, the crunch of snow underfoot, and being alone with all of my words.

But in the far too distant past, I used to love to sit down and write.  Those words would roll out of my mind, off my fingertips, and into a quick blog or post...clearing up a little more headspace for me.    There are lots of words in conversations, so many of which get lost.  I kind of like the relative permanence of print.  Writing (or typing) stamps a deeper mark in my memory than chatting.  I initially started the blog as a way to keep friends from afar up to date on the latest shenanigans and create a tour book of my new locale to help plan their visits.  This past week a friend reached out stumbled across some words -- or shall I say the words found their way to them -- just when they needed them.  Those words from that far away day were needed again, thousands of miles and several years away for someone else.  I have to admit i kind of liked that.  It's one of the reasons I decided to sit down and write a post.

One of the other reasons was watching another friend, who started posted a quick video each week that he calls "Thursday's thought" (shout out to you Chris).  It started out with him building a habit, and I realized how much I was enjoying seeing that familiar face and hearing that familiar voice.  And rather recently, his videos have lengthened, the words are flowing longer, and the frequency is almost daily. His thoughts are becoming a storybook for those who want to join in.  It made those words inside my head begin gnawing for freedom.

Lastly, and it seems to be a theme, I have recently heard from several old friends.  At the root of many of the reconnections is a common theme.  The words.  The conversation starts out with "I remembered" a story, a tale, a long walk with words that would stand out what seems to be a lifetime later, some mine, some theirs.  Words that weaved connections long ago that tie us together.  The comfort of old friends and old words has been a wonderful gift this week.

So words, it seems, can go anywhere.  They may take a solo journey and never be heard or seen, or they might stick in a heart, or mind, or soul.  They can travel miles, years, inspire, change, or heal.  Words, it seems, might go just about anywhere.