Words, glorious words!

When I was young I read...a lot. I used to go to the library and search through the books looking at the covers and waiting to see which one would draw me in.

After picking a book, I would turn to the first page and begin reading. I would wait to see if the magic happened. I usually knew by the end of the first paragraph, but I always gave it to the end of the page.

Those that intrigued me were brought home and were read quickly. I would usually leave the library with a stack about six books high so I had to really get going once I got home to get them all read by the due date.

And then the magic happened. Words worked together to create characters I fell in love with, cried over, worried about, and often never wanted to leave.

Those words still entangle me now. I find myself pausing on a perfectly structured sentence with a word I remember from my vocabulary list. I pause, say the word, smile, and then continue on with the story.

Words can be passionate, hurtful, poignant, worrisome, scary, and humerous. Thank goodness for the beauty of the written word.