When Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” in 1839, he knew the power the pen had to write words as dangerous as a weapon or as healing as a hug. I pray my pen’s power will always side with the latter.
For me, the individual pen itself holds an interesting power. Ask my husband about my love affair with pens. He discovered early in his job for an office products company that bringing me a new pen gets him bigger kisses than a whole bouquet of roses! And he does it often—from pens promoting businesses for which he services copiers to a whole pack he somehow gets Santa to leave in my stocking every year. Black ones, green ones, red ones. Fine tips, ball points, gels. Even a whole box of green Sharpie markers to use when making posters or correcting papers.
My favorite pens always write in fine point, black ink. I love the feel of its flow across a blank journal page. It glides with the precision and artistry of a figure skater on a Zamboni-smoothed ice rink. I keep a stock of the refills for these pens handy so I never have to lose the beauty I find in their tips.
A few years ago, our youngest daughter, Faith, bought a very special pen as a gift for me. The barrel hewn from cherry wood has a cross etched into it. This pen rises above others because of the words engraved on it: “Gotta have FAITH!” This phrase hits a sensitive chord in my h
eart, speaking of my faith in Jesus as well as spelling my daughter’s name.
Last year, I discovered a new use for my pens, one I enjoyed long ago through years of writing to my pen pal, and now love a new twist on it—letter writing! The idea sprang from the movie The Letter Writer, released in 2012, in which one of the main characters writes notes to people he doesn’t know, letters to lift their spirits, given randomly as he feels led. He tells his young protégé, “Within every human being, there’s a God-given ability that, if you find it and nurture it, you’ll be able to bless the lives of others.”
Mine lets me use the power of my pen to heal, to help, to “bless” those He leads me to. A handwritten note left on a windshield in a store parking lot; another given to an unsuspecting person putting groceries in her car. What a powerful tool my pen can be!
This is for you, Aunt Connie! With love.
*** Do you use a special pen to write journal entries or grocery lists? Do you still handwrite letters, with today’s media-driven messages so quick to send and receive? Tell us about the pens in your past and/or present! To leave your story, click on the words beside the date under the title of this post. Then, scroll to the bottom of the comment section to find the box with the heading, “Leave a reply.” Thank you for sharing!
***Join me next week for a story about a special anniversary, since our 39th anniversary will come at the end of that week!
legaciesletloose 