Monday, December 10, 2007

Waiting for the Words

I was lost in my head, confused about who I might be, what I might be thinking.

In time, I found my way into a suitcase and onto a plane. I was my way to anywhere and I'd be landing in a place I once said, "I think I want to live everywhere." He had agreed.

That memory so stayed with me. Lately it had been haunting me, following me in a good way. Somehow my heart, my head needed another conversation. I longed to hear what the "me of then" said when we talked again this "years later" time now.

So I went and I listened in as best I could.

I imagined. I practiced. I put forth chapter and verse. I did all with a steady to what I might hear myself reveal in the spaces between the words. And the quiet came, when we sat, as friends do, in each others silent company, waiting without wondering. Thoughts coming when they came.

Then he said something that I remember this way, "It's the words. You. So much of you is about the words. What you do is the words. Wordsmith. It would be a loss to see you separate from the words."

And in a gray car on a gray rainy day, inside what he said I heard yellows and blues.

The words.

I've been waiting for the words. The words are every sunset, every cell of my fingers. The words are every hair on a baby's head. They are a summer shower. The words are the love of my father, the smile of my son. The words are this moment. They're the past and future. They touch. They triumph. They tremble. They tread and take my breath away. They are the petals on a most special sunflower. They are the rainbow that overshadows the sun.

The words are the salty tear that gently finds its way to my cheek as I write this.

I've been waiting for the words. The words are about to come.

When they arrive, my soul will shout what I was born to say.

--me liz strauss, letting me be

27 comments:

brad4d said...

. . they are the applications that sometimes seem to upgrade the operating system(s), your appreciation shows in your application, thanks for all you share

Anonymous said...

I hear the music and the emotion and the rhythm and energy building towards crescendo. I hope that when the words come I am within hearing distance. They will dance and shine.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Brad!
Yes they are. Yes, they are.

Thank you for what you bring for me to reflect upon. :)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Dawn!
You can always hear what's in the spaces and the song. Thank you for being a friend. :)

Ron Southern said...

She's not heavy, she's my wordy brudder. Hey, wait a minute, what'd I say?!

Ron Southern said...

Not quite right, or maybe it was. You kep me confused. (And my keyboard's doing a prety god job, to, refusing to type out doubles of most leters!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ron,
It's a always a joy to hear from you! I've got all sorts of words happening in my head these days . . . watch out they're coming!! :)

Ron Southern said...

Sounds sexy. But that's a good thing, I think. Just be polite about it, yeah. pant pant pant.

Oops.

Anonymous said...

Hi Liz,

As it so often happens, your words leave me rather speechless. Would I have half the talent of words as you do. I'm glad I've been able to be around to hear them.

Ron Southern said...

That's some very good and sincere sucking-up! Wish I could get more of that myself! Enjoy.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Oh Ron,
The words you choose don't hide a thing from me. :)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Kirk!
I don't mean to leave you without words. I'm looking to find just the right ones to get my fingers typing and the storytelling on a new level. :)

Thank you for the lovely compliment. It's like the ocean.

Ron Southern said...

Excuse me while I go over in this corner and pant. With my pants on, so it's okey!

Ron Southern said...

Okay, i mean. Bad typist.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Oh, Ron,
You're so much better than that. :)

Ron Southern said...

Wait two minutes, what'd I say? Did I say that?

To conclude, I don't think any of us can claim to be better than we are, despite what the religionists may proclaim about it!

In any case, sniggering comes more easily to most of us than exulting! If I were looking for a good exulter, I'd look for Henry David Thoreau, not for Billy Graham.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ah, even knowing those names, Ron, you give yourself away.

:)

Ron Southern said...

Names are easy. History and literature beats Thoreau's name into us, the daffy televisionists beat Billy's graven name into our consciousness! What's hard is these damn word verifications!

On my blog, no one has to fill them out for me. I just moderate all the sobs and it's not many I have to turn away.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ah, Ron, Namaste.

Ron Southern said...

Beats me. I'll have to look it up.

Trée said...

Liz, you have beautiful words. I know. I've seen them. Happy Holidays my friend. :-)

Anonymous said...

Every word you write is a precious drop of rain sent out to refresh the mind and feed the spirit. I hope I am under your sky when the downpour comes.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ron,
It's a word worth finding. ;)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Tree!
Your words might be where I'll find my own. :)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Ah Easy,
I hear you talking and my heart gets soft. I hope you are well and your words are coming easily.

Ron Southern said...

How come I never get no prizes? That's what my 3 year old nephew John says! More literally, he asks, "Do you have a prize for me?" I think he was told once that he had a surprise, and only the last half of the word stuck in his memory.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Ron!
I think words are wonderful that way. "Prize is a pretty popular version of surprise with the first-grade set."

I, myself, get 'whelmed all of the time.