Keianna

Beyond myself there are words. A series of letters with meaning, or no meaning, depending on the person you ask. Let’s get the clichéd, everyday words out the way first. Those such as love, happiness, and adventure. I have to admit I have a soft spot for words like these. I like to slip them into the awkward, we-just-met moments to see how the conversation flips and turns into something entirely new. They’re tough subjects, so entirely new can mean the other person gets really into telling me their experiences or shies away and I’m left feeling like maybe I shouldn’t have structured my sentences and words in a way that scared them off. I don’t worry about it a lot. They’re just words.

There are words that inspire an angsty form of creativity in me. I feel like I should tattoo them on my body as conversation starters. They are words that inspire new words. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows does a good job of coining these. Jouska describes the “hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.” Imaginary words that may come into play later, if you’re not too shy. Exulansis is giving up on talking about your past experiences because others are unable to relate. Words that get left unspoken.

Anecdoche is a conversation in which “everyone is talking but no one is listening.” This might inspire exulansis. I stopped using my words. I don’t want them to affect how people think of those clichéd, everyday words. Someone else’s perspective of love, happiness, and adventure shouldn’t be marred by their experience with me. I worry about it way too much. Words are important. ♦