The Value of Words

As anyone of my close friends might know, or some of my blog readers have surmised, I am prone to rants, raves, and branching thoughts that go from subjects like preparing grilled cheese to Egytian gods. Zero to sixty in about thirty minutes or less. I don't think I do it in my blogs all too often. There were a few times were I went from my work to fishing, but that's in the past.
My blog post today is about the value of words, or the perceived value. I'm talking about words both written and spoken. Heck, let's even throw thinking in there to for grins.
Last week during my shift at work I heard a radio ad that advertised a bank up the line doing some kind of gala/dinner/fundraiser. The centerpiece of this event was an author (I'm not sure if she was local) who was giving a talk on the book she wrote about time she spent overseas in the Middle East. After the fluff and stuff of the ad, they came down to the price. It was a modest price for dinner and a talk. The usual "pay this, show up, eat, and listen to someone talk" kind of deal that I'm sure many of us have seen before.
This fundraiser put a value to her words that she'd speak during this event.
So after I heard the ad, I remarked rather loudly that "I would give a talk at a dinner for free!" and I went on about it for a minute or two.
There I was doing the appraisal of words.
When authors or publishers or even people reselling books set a dollar amount, they too are valuing words.
Kids in school get values for their words in the form of a grade. When some apply to college, they write something to enhance their chances of getting in. Do well writing a job resume and the value is the job you're after. We write wills that are jammed with value in the form of monetary value and sentimental value. At our funerals, people tell stories about us and use words to make our memories whole and valuable.
The reason I bring this up is to also point out that we value the words of different sources differently. Sometimes we entirely discredit the words of an adversary or put too much faith in the words of our heroes.

I think you get it at this point.

In Rising Seas, Vladimir assigns value to what Sinclair says about the nation. He appraises what the Devil-Lord says to him.
In Regolith, Celine says a lot that Ravenlord will fail to value. Etc etc.

It is my opinion that often we don't value words enough sometimes. The simple songs of love, the gentle praise, the soft whimper of a child, the bold words of youth, the lessons of the middle-aged, and the memories of the elderly.
I myself am guilty of sometimes spending too much time talking to people as opposed to doing something. One thing I adore is hearing someone else tell a story. For a moment in time, I get to value and appreciate a new tale and imagine the power of those words as they spin a tale.
I enjoy telling the more humorous stories of my life because I don't often assign a good deal of value to the bad times.

A fellow author and friend of mine, Catherine DePasquale (author of A Future Spring), shared with me an ebook that talks about the blogs of authors that I have yet to read. It's funny to think that I just remembered it now after finishing The Complete Circle Series by Ted Dekker. I'll have to get around to it.

I hope you learned something today from my more direct blog. Next time will be more about Regolith and how that's shaping up exactly.

See you around and have a great day!
Thanks for reading!