The Worth of Words

A Good Man is Hard to Find is a short story by Flannery O’Connor (originally published as part of a collection in 1953). It’s about an ornery Grandmother coming to terms with truth in a random meeting with a local serial killer.  Like much of O’Connor’s work, it is brutal.  But simultaneously full of grace. 

It is short.  Like you can read the whole thing in about 15 minutes.  But it’s masterfully done.  The dialogue between the Misfit and the Grandmother at the end is worth every one of those minutes (no spoilers ;-).  But that’s not my point today.  My point is that it was short. 

Very short. 

And short writings can be powerful.  They have been for a long, long time.

About the time of the Reformation the Gutenberg Press had recently been developed, allowing for the distribution of pamphlets called Flugschrift(-en) or “flying writings.”  These short essays were distributed summarizing the beliefs of Luther and his fellow reformers.  Even though many of these men were academics, they wanted the people’s hearts.  So they wrote to the people.  These essays were enough to stir their hearts and energize a movement. 

Today we might call those pamphlets or short essays blogs.  There is some debate as to the ideal length of a blog, but the concept is short.  It’s not a book.  

But like Flannery’s short story here, and the Reformation pamphlets, blogs can be powerful.

It’s not the word count but the power and meaning of the words contained that make something beautiful and moving.  Like the Misfit’s comment that Jesus raising the dead “shown everything off balance,” or Luther’s 95 “Theses,” words matter.   Words create worlds.  Words create reality.  

Though every word may have already been spoken, it has not been spoken in my unique voice.  

So we risk our own presumption to put our precious thoughts down and share them with you.  And somehow the magic is transferred between author and reader.  Me writing right now in my room and you reading this whenever and wherever you happen to find it.  

That is the magic of art.  The beauty of expression.  And the worth of words!  Thanks for reading.