To write or not to write? That is the question. The power of words: Intent, Context, Meaning, Translation and Communicating

Whether it is nobler in the hearts and minds of all good bees to be correct in grammar, punctuation and sentence structure or,  can one still use the power of words as a novice to convey intent, context, meaning, and translation in the art of communicating?   Whether good at writing or not can one still convey a sentiment about things they feel a passion for or care enough about to write, comment or respond? 

For me, writing is a challenging exploration of the world I live in.  It reflects the good, bad or indifferent nature of my skill or lack thereof, in using prose in ordinary form, without any coherent metrical structure. For me it is an attempt to make sense of that world along the pathways of my journey.

Originally I was going to share a few articles that I have written that had specific meaning to me, and explain why I shared them in the first place. Instead I just decided to write this to you, my fellow bees, as an acknowledgement of the power of words. Their intent.  Their context.  Their meaning.  Their translation.  How they can be used effectively or not to communicate. 

I am writing this because I recently received some very sound, focused, well intentioned, and constructive criticism on my writing abilities. It was focused on my use of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, particularly on one of my posts.

In sharing this I just wanted you all to know that I acknowledge I am not a good writer and apologize to each of you for my inability to follow an effective and proper writing style. My intent, as with many on this site, has always been genuine. A platform that allows us to merely speak up about something we feel passionate about, exchange ideas, share something personal, respond to something someone has posted, convey a business opportunity, or in some cases to step out of ones comfort zone.  In my journey down the path of writing and poetry, it is truly a road less traveled.

I acknowledge that my grammar is terrible. My punctuation leaves much to be desired. I sometimes use run on sentences. I sometimes use words that are incorrect and more often than not misspelled because of my fat fingers. I would like to blame it on my smart phone for changing something and I just don’t realize it until it is too late. But alas, that would not be a truism.

Know that I truly appreciate each of you and the fact that so many of you are such good writers and convey such great content. I will try to do better before I write again, or if I feel compelled to post something like this before I can get my act together, I will at least try to be partially coherent.

As you indulge me, let me throw out a humbling plea. Be patient with me.  I am new to this writing stuff and to be honest, had to beg my freshman English Professor to give me a C.  I had to do a lot of extra credit work to bring that up, and still fell way short of her expectations. But somehow, someway she saw something in me and what I was trying to accomplish in my “Pig Latin” approach to writing and encouraged me to keep working at it.  I still remember her comment when she informed me that I "deserved" a C in her class.  "Keep refining your mind and use your voice in writing to express the good that you are trying to convey."  In that simple statement she not only conveyed the true nature and essence of a teacher, but helped me understand that learning would be a life long experience.  In that one statement, she taught me and made me realize that despite the flaws--despite the challenges, one (as she did) can and should look just under the surface or in between the lines and see whats inside.  And on the writing front, that is why I used E.L. Doctorow's quote. It is a life long journey of exploration and discovery. 

Since I can’t really blame it on my smart phone, I often write either on the spur of the moment, during fleeting moments of opportunity, sometimes late at night or early in the morning and, yes, others times while on my smart phone. Not a good thing based on the combination of often doing so without my glasses and, did I mention, I have fat thumbs.

Regardless, I write because I find something of interest or want to make a point; as illogical and incoherent as my ramblings may be. I write because a topic that has caught my eye and I either want to comment on it, or it has energized me to just say something from my own personal perspective. I write because there is something that I am passionate about.  I write because I feel compelled to say something about a given subject.  And more often than not, I write because I have been inspired by one of you.

In acknowledging my challenges, I understand that my use of words is not refined in the world of writing. But in writing, I have found comfort in expressing a view, acknowledging something that someone else has written, or simply find that in putting something down in writing it is both therapeutic and helps me navigate the challenges along my journey.

So as part of my life lesson in writing, I will simply leave you with an excerpt from one of my posts when I was fairly new to this site.

“Be simple my friends, stay thirsty and make a difference along the byways and pathways of your journey. I hope that in reading this and in taking your own individual single steps that you can find a gem or two despite potential typos and incoherent sentence structure.  Whether you subscribe to any of this, I hope that you make a difference in a world that needs difference making.

Let me be clear up front--I write for me.  I write because something has moved me to at least voice an opinion on a topic.  I write to express a view on something that I am passionate about.  

I am a digital immigrant. I am a person that just wants to make a difference.   

• I am not an emotional intelligence guru. 
• I am not a big data aficionado. 
• I am not an insight or knowledge management "C"-suite person. 
• I am not a Pulitzer Prize kind of author. 
• I am not a Nobel Peace Prize kind of transformer. 

I am, as Lynyrd Skynyrd might say, a simple kind of man.  I am me.  I believe in me; and I believe in you!  That is why I write.  And for that, I am thankful to each one of you who have taken the time to read, like, find relevant and comment on any of my musings as they have been posted. 

In writing I attempt to use the opportunity, through the mysteries of it all, to thoughtfully and in as civil a manner as possible provide a personal expression on any given topic in a hope that in my simplistic world of insight I might just make a difference; one person--one step at a time.”

Thank you to each of you for your patience and indulgence despite my flaws and challenged writing skills.

Keep making a difference. You do for me.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author