Broken Words

It is often said that actions speak louder than words. I believe it’s a comparison of apples and oranges. Actions are powerful. Words are powerful. Why try to rank one over the other?

Actions can define meaning in much the way that words do. Yet, we need words (thoughts) in order to act. We also need action (speech, writing) in order to use words.

Sometimes it seems as if words can be used with no action or effort, as when someone speaks thoughtlessly or writes disjointedly or only half pays attention to what someone is saying. Yet, ineffective action is still action. So, to say “action speaks louder than words” doesn’t really make sense when you understand words this way. Words are action.

God created existence with a Word, so I believe. Creation is action. The Word is action. A word is not simply an icon that is recorded and then forgotten. We too create with words, even if we are not aware of it. Obviously we don’t create as effectively as God, but we create all the same. And we have potential to create beauty and we have potential to create ugliness. It’s all based on our choice of words and how we choose to use them. We can speak them, write them, think them. We can keep them to ourselves, use them in our prayers, share them with other people.

What does it mean to break a word? When someone breaks his word, he no longer stands by his initial use of his words. His words become a lie. Some words are a lie from the start. These words are born broken. They are worse than meaningless, but not without power—negative power. They may initially create a desired effect but, because there is no real foundation holding them firm, the effect cannot last.

I believe people break words and use broken words because they are trying to control something. Maybe they’re trying to give meaning to something that has no meaning. Or they’re trying to change a thing’s meaning. In effect, they are trying to change reality, or at least disguise it. But if control can’t be found within straightforward truthful words, it certainly won’t be found in broken words or by breaking words.

Broken words create nothing lasting.