Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
Words have power. A word said in one context is just a word, but in another context lights the fuse to a bomb.
“word”
KA-BOOM!
(Crispy fragments of confused wonderment)
Power words are given their power through worry, fear, anger, insecurity, sadness, or hurt. Especially hurt. Nothing gives a power word more energy, more kick, more bang per syllable, than hurt.
Unfortunately, there are different power words for each of us, and pity the poor person who says the word or words in the right context and releases a veritable torrent of reaction.
What’s difficult for the unwary is the circumstances surrounding our acquisition of a new power word are such that we don’t particularly care to share them with the world at large. So some poor sod can be walking happily along and between one sentence fragment and the next, the ground quickens beneath his or her feet, and “SLURP!” — they’re sucked into the vortex of power word wipeout. It’s not a pretty sight.
Luckily, wipeouts leave visible marks that trace around the power word, forming chalk outlines on the psyche, warning signs to touch not the weblogger.
Not that I have any words. Not me.
