I am made by words.
“Words Have The Power To Change Us.”
–Cassandra Clare
Quotes on the Brain
We all love a good quote, don't we? The kind that slices through our emotions and leaves us bleeding. They possess the power to reshape our thoughts, triggering realizations and unraveling countless emotions. They often articulate our innermost feelings, the ones we struggle to express aloud – either because we lack the words or are still scared to say them.
Scientific evidence, not just my humble opinion (lol), has shown quotes can capture any idea or sentiment. They have the ability to clarify and even inspire, motivating people to feel the power of their feelings and emotions through the words of others. When we hear a story, a part of the brain called the insula gets busy searching for similar experiences. Meaning: it makes us feel empathy and understanding for the other.
I mean, how many times have we quoted a Disney movie? Either because it was funny or because it completely resonated with us. Quotes and phrases are all around us. It's what makes our language more than words and sounds. It's what makes humanity feel something and what makes us vulnerable to our emotions and deepest fears.
Quotes Make Me Alive
Admitting that I am a highly emotional person is challenging because saying it out loud: 1) makes it real, and 2) I feel vulnerable and weak speaking those big words. Although being vulnerable doesn't mean I'm weak, it means the depth of my emotions, making it a double-edged sword. Words make us feel alive and, most importantly, heard. This is why books and songs are integral to our lives.
Throughout my life, I've become an avid reader. Some good, some bad, and others so extraordinary that they left a permanent on my soul. And it's not solely the sentences we read; it's also the ones we encounter daily and the ones we shared with others.
I can effortlessly tell which books were the ones that have left me completely exposed to my feelings, and their phrases have echoed within me so profoundly that I've immortalized a couple through tattoos. I can effortlessly tell which books made me feel alive and saved me from myself.
I can be 99.99% sure the same feeling has happened to more than one of you. This is the magic of books and their phrases; they bind us together, connecting us as a community – just like the one we have here.
I know, I know. I sound like a broken record, but I'm so thankful to the universe for putting me on the Bookstagram path and meeting YOU. I appreciate that there are people who feel the same as me, who understand me, and that we can share our experiences.
Today, my life is directed by the phrases that give me clarity. I am guided by the ones that bring me peace and help me to know myself on a much deeper level. Today and always, we will be the words that have left a mark on our souls.
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