Words, Words, Wonderful Words

I have always loved words. Even when I was young, I reveled in the fact that I had an extensive vocabulary. I loved to read, I loved the way words looked on paper, I loved to find out what words meant, and I loved to play word games like scrabble and boggle. It is probably no surprise then that I ended up a writer.

But what I find most extraordinary is the fact that my seven year old daughter seems to have naturally inherited this same love of words. She was begging me to teach her to read at the age of three; and from the time she was old enough to hold a pencil, she has loved to write words in notebooks. Any and all words she knows how to spell get written down in tidy columns, and if she doesn't know how to spell them she asks. If I make a shopping list, she too wants to make one. If I am working on a story, she wants to write one of her own.

Word games seem to amuse her as well. For instance, on the thirty minute ride to school this morning, I played a word game with her. I told her, "If you could only use three words to describe a person, what would they be?" Then I proceeded to ask her to describe individual friends and family members. Some people's names evoked immediate responses while others caused her to think for a few seconds, but after each she requested another name.

When I asked her what three words she would use to describe her daddy, she came back with loving, nice, and willing. Now I don't know about you, but I seriously doubt that "willing" would come to my mind when describing friends and family. So, I asked her what she meant when she said she thought of my husband as willing.

"Well," she said. "When daddy plays puppies with me, I don't think he really likes it; but he is willing."

This child is a constant amazement and joy to me. If I hadn't already been totally and irrevocably in love with her, her use and love of words would definitely have tipped the scales. Which brings me to the question, "How do you feel about words?" Really, I would love to know.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!