A short reflection on finding the words
"One of the most beautiful functions of language is its ability to heal. When words say, 'hey, you’re not the only one who’s felt this!' this is where the healing lives ..."
While I’ve been on my writing retreat, reconnecting with myself has just so happened to coincide with reconnecting with my favourite song. To me, Bon Iver’s “715 - CRΣΣKS” is the perfect poem/song hybrid; I’ve read the lyrics just as many times as I’ve listened to the track, if not more. When I was in hospital in 2020, I wrote them out on an envelope and stuck it to the wall beside my bed.
One of the most beautiful functions of language is its ability to heal. For me, these lyrics say hey, you’re not the only one who’s felt this!, and this is where the healing lives. The layered vocals and auto-tune give me frisson in the best way, but what keeps me returning to this song is the words.
This all got me reflecting on what spurs me to write and, more specifically, what drives me to offer up my insides to other people. In part, it’s the finding of a text that translates what’s written across my soul; once you find something like that, the desire to create the same is only natural. And you think, these new words will be written by me! Surely, they will translate even more perfectly! If you’ve ever tried putting your feelings down on a page, you know what happens next.
It’s interesting (and undoubtedly common) that the words that best reflect my inner world were written by someone else. As I grow and change, this song will be like a diary entry, a record of a time when I felt a certain way and this song brought me comfort and connection. New words may come along; maybe I’ll even be the one to string them together. With that hope in mind, I’ll keep chasing the words- honestly, the journey is so inspiring and so revealing, I almost hope I never find them.