Why We Should All Be Wordsmiths
By: Lauren Kempf
Tags: Vulnerability, Words, First Post, Writing, Childhood

I’ve loved words for as long as I can remember.

It started when I was young and would listen in on the adult conversations. They all used big, eloquent words I didn’t understand. Whenever I heard a word I didn’t recognize, I’d scurry over to my older brother to ask what the word meant. And, as older brothers generally do, he would roll his eyes and tell me to figure it out myself. So I did.

I started reading the dictionary before bed. And looking up lists like 50 SAT Words You Need To Know (before I even really knew what the SAT was). And reading all the books I could get my hands on. I was on a constant quest for knowledge.

What drove me crazy as a kid has now become one of my favorite things about life. I remember getting so angry every time I heard a new word I didn’t know. I was constantly thinking, I’ll never be smart enough, or quick enough, or well-read enough to know all the words in the world.

The truth is, no matter how smart or quick or well-read I am, I’ll never know all the words in the world. But why look at this as a bad thing? I love hearing words I don’t recognize! More importantly, I love the people who say them to me. I love that I have people in my life who inspire me daily with their wide vocabularies. I love that I meet strangers everyday who impress me with their knowledge.

How exciting is it that every day I wake up and have the opportunity to learn words like taradiddle (someone or something filled with pretentious nonsense or something that is a lie)? Just being honest here… I’ve been dying to slip taradiddle into a conversation.

As Albert Einstein once said, “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” Learning is what keeps us alive and growing. As soon as we think we know everything, we stop learning.

Growing up, I took note of whose words had substance and whose words were duplicitous. I learned that words don’t just carry weight; they demand respect, inspire brilliance, spark debate, and even mediate conflict. With the right words, you can unlock a world of possibilities. That’s why it’s so important to be a wordsmith. And that’s why the greatest complement I’ve ever received was about how articulate I am. (Does it still count if my mom said it?).

Every time I was sick with Strep throat growing up, my dad would say to me, You have streptococcal pharyngitis, not a throat ache. That certainly sounds better than Strep, doesn’t it? But there’s a caveat with big words like these. Context is everything! Streptococcal pharyngitis coming out of my med-school educated father’s mouth sounded natural. When I tried to say it, it didn’t have quite the same effect. Context, my friends! It could’ve also been that I was fourteen, trying to turn in a note excusing me from school to the attendance office with only two words written on it, but who knows…

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

I’m not sure what’s going to come of publishing my words. (Probably nothing). All I know is these words are the lucky ones; the ones I managed to string together to form somewhat complete sentences. While files of unfinished stories grow dust on my computer, these ones get to see the light of day.

I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember and I’ll probably write stories until the day I leave this Earth. Writing is an outlet for me. I get to be silly and brave and smart and unapologetic with my words. I’m still working on incorporating those qualities in my day-to-day life (stay tuned!).

I’m naturally a private person, so writing about myself doesn’t come easy to me. It’s uncomfortable. But I know that the most growth happens in the uncomfortable moments. With publishing my words and being vulnerable in my writing, I’m hoping to grow. I’m leaning in. I hope y’all follow along and grow with me, too.