Breathe Magazine 053 Back Issue

Words, words, words. Presented in myriad formats and on various platforms, it’s hard to escape them. Are they worth the space? Well, given how many are used in Breathe – and the time and thought given to them by their creators – it’s an emphatic ‘yes’ from us. Of course, far greater minds than ours have long understood and recognised their power, for good or ill. Let’s focus on the former.

Used thoughtfully, words provide a voice for the disenfranchised, the marginalised, the powerless in the here and now. They also bring to life the past, including stories of those whose talents, contribution and importance have been neglected, overlooked or overshadowed. On a societal level, these previously untold stories are valuable indicators of progress made as well as how much there is still to achieve.

But stories are deeply personal too. Everyone has a story, everyone has roots. How much of either is known will vary from family to family and person to person, as will the words chosen to relay them – if, indeed, they are passed on at all. For some, these stories will influence career choices, friendships and life partners. For others, perhaps those whose stories involve childhood and birth, they may inform identity and guide their perception of the world and their place and role within it.

Words are powerful. They provide sustenance, nourish the soul, offer hope. They imbue the world and everyone within it with purpose and meaning. Let’s use them for good.