“A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself, always a laborious business.” ~ A.A. Milne
Those who know me are quite familiar with my love of quotes. They have often made their way into my columns through the years, and can regularly be found sprinkled throughout my social media - at times accompanying a snapshot from my latest landscape photography session, but just as often speaking volumes on their own.
Of course, upon sharing these words of wisdom, I tend to open myself up to queries regarding the inspiration, the hidden meanings behind choosing a particular sentiment, assumptions as to whom they may be directed toward . . . To those who wonder, I can only say, in most instances, you have put far more thought into it than I.
Words are a complex art form in that way. What may be beautiful and abstract to some can strike another as quite pointed and literal. And both would be correct in their respective assessments. Writing, like so many other artistic expressions, is open to interpretation. Suffice it to say, if you hope to clearly convey a point, repurposing a quote is seldom the best approach.
It’s funny, with the advent of various “Memory” features on several social media platforms, I am now able to see what quotes I may have shared on a specific day. Many are seasonal, earmarking one occasion or another; others resonate as far more personal, driven by a particular emotion felt at a moment in time and captured for posterity.
On more than a few occasions, I have scanned these archives, only to find that I managed to use the very same quotation several times over, scattered through the years on a given date. Perhaps this is among the many “random” factoids our brains store away for safekeeping, ensuring that we will never fully forget what we may have been feeling at any point.
Regardless, I prefer to write it all down. In quotes. In columns. In musings like this. Much like photographs, words have the innate ability to preserve memories, providing us - and even those who may not have been present - with a tangible method of reflecting upon them.
As they say, to loosely quote, never underestimate the power of words.
Who says they have to be your own?
Published: November 7, 2018