“Rhetoricians focus on the uses of language to persuade or to change people’s actions and opinions.”

Most people think of the word rhetoric in a negative sense – maybe it has something to do with the “r” – err.

Rhetoric focuses on the positivity as well. How words and languages and meaning-making systems shape beliefs, values, institutions, and the physical body, our person.

Growing up my mother would say, “You take too long to respond.” I am sure I did.

My teachers would say that “I choose my words carefully.”

I learned the power in words.

In my early teens I did not like the word sick so I replaced it with the word health.

I did not like the word hospital so I chose the word home.

I didn’t like the word death so I chose the word life.

Then my mind went. I liked the word strength, well or wellness, goodness, home, life, breath, breathing. I had seven or eight words that circulated.

As I got older I added endurance and stamina. Just whole sounding words. They made me feel better.

The word health was at the center and all words built off of that.

So perhaps it just makes sense that I am studying how words and the ways in which we use them affect and effect us.

How they affect our actual physical person, you – your heart, and how we move about with these words in the world. How we wear them and literally carry them.

So I wrote the word health again today. It is probably the most important word in my life – always has been. The most emphasis. Try it. Put a word in the middle and see what words come to mind.

It could seem silly, but I don’t think it is. Words matter.

A little delight – I caught a little segment about the hashtag #Hamathome. Check it out. These kids rock.

Much love.

Work cited: Academic Disability – Jay Timothy Dolmage