A Christmas Card from Bexa: Blogmas 14

The beautiful home-made card that arrived all the way from Brighton, England from Bexa

When I got home yesterday, there was a beautiful envelope waiting for me. It came all the way from England from a blogger I’ve met, Bexa. Inside was a gorgeous homemade card with some of the neatest printing I have ever seen in my life. Bexa’s blog is amazing. Her site is designed so well, and you can tell she is a very creative and kind soul. The main reason I found Bexa is that I was looking for Twitter accounts that re-post blogs. She had wrote a post asking everyone to send her their blog post for her Sunday reading. So I sent mine and we kind of started a bit of a blogging friendship. Please take a look at Bexa’s blog: http://hellobexa.com. She has great tips for people just starting out with blogging.

Cute custom-made sticker inside the card

Looking at the card, I started thinking about the reaction I got to my “Merry Fucking Christmas” post too. I started to feel so thankful for the amazing people I have met through blogging, their kindness and their encouragement. There are so many people I have discovered through WordPress and Twitter who are such talented writers; people from all over the world, from different cultures and different religions. I love it! If the rest of the world could be as accepting and open and loving to each other as the bloggers I’ve met, we would never worry about nuclear war, famine, genocide or any other horrible things that people do to each other for no good reason ever again!

Through reading the blogs of others, I learn about other people’s lives and struggles and come to realize that we aren’t that alone after all. It’s awe inspiring how people connect through writing. I guess as an English teacher I shouldn’t really be that surprised, but blogging is quite different from reading a text that has been published. The main difference is that when I read text from a book, I can’t directly comment to the writer of the piece. With blogs, you can give immediate feedback, ask the writer questions, and interact with the writer of a piece. It is quite a remarkable thing.

 

I loved the message inside as well as the added touch of the piece of paper inside reminding me to “Always wear your invisible crown.” Aww…. I love Christmas and Blogmas again!

Although I enjoy the interaction that blogging brings, I genuinely hope that books and paper texts will not be completely phased out. I can’t think of a better smell than the smell of opening that first crisp page in a brand new book. I love to just sink my nose into the middle and take long deep breaths. Aw…. the smell of words!  Some day maybe the  words of the bloggers I have met will be in the printed form with the aroma of “new book.” I sure hope so.

Thank you to all my followers and fellow bloggers for being such a wonderful and supportive community. As a thank you, I’m going to highlight a blog site I regularly visit to share with readers of this blog. Today’s is Bexa’s (obviously) and you can find her most recent work here: https://hellobexa.com/life/the-top-20-christmas-films-of-all-time/

A special thank you to Bexa for the beautiful Christmas card.

 

If you would like to make a card like the one Bexa sent to me, follow this link: https://hellobexa.com/blogging/how-to-make-washi-tape-christmas-cards/

Happy Blogmas 14!

O.H.

Words: A Love Song

Words. I love you.

I love how you can express all of my feelings, thoughts and stories.

I love how I can arrange you however I want onto the page.

I can place you in paragraph form and make you into prose, explaining exactly what I want to say like a sign-post. I can spell it out for the reader, making it easier for them to see what’s in my mind by using you. I can change the order, and change the meaning. You are a slow burn. Metaphors, similes and juxtaposition- just a few of my favorite devices.

Or.

I can place you wherever I want on the page

Like poetry

 

The key is the words, 

the words are the key.

 

But then, you can be so ambiguous,

I think I mean what I’m saying,

But maybe what I’m saying means something else altogether,

you know what I mean?

 

Oh words, why are you so coy sometimes?

Just come right out and say it.

Do you love me like I love you?

Your power overwhelms me, drops me on the floor like a wrestler

 

The words drop on the page like sweat and tears

Creating images

Feelings

Ideas

 

I choose you like picking up shells on the beach

Is this one pretty enough?

This one is ugly but maybe I want it anyway.

I pick some and discard others,

Leaving them for those who walk behind me

Footprints in the sand

A path

 

I have to be choosy. I can’t just pick any words. They have to be perfect.

I mull you over in my mind, turning you over, this way and that, like a tornado of thoughts, selecting some words to keep and others to destroy.

Is this the right word? Are these arranged in the best order for the reader to understand the nuances, uncertainties, purpose and meaning?

I tell my students.

The repeated words are important,

Important words are repeated.

Don’t ignore them.

 

And.

If a word appears on a line alone

It’s heavier

 

Pay attention if a

Word

Is alone on a line

 

The arrangement of the words matter.

 

Take what’s here and interpret it, but don’t add more than what is here. I chose my words carefully. With purpose.

 

I want you to see with me.

I use my words to help you see.

Do you see it? My point.

 

Words, I love you

–Ocean Hayward-