Emmanuel Okwunwa

The Importance of the Wordsmith

Words are a key difference between humanity and the lower animals. And even for those creatures, such as whales and dolphins, that have been documented as communicating through sounds - as indeed most animals might be - there is still a special and important difference between their communication skills and that of us humans: we can represent words in retrievable forms that can be recognized by others who speak the language in which the words are written. It follows, then, that the main difference may not be so much in whether or not the lower animals communicate with sounds, as in whether or not they have means of storing the content of their communications. That is where we humans have the very strong edge that has propelled and furthered our development as a species. So, for those who wish to participate more fully in this great human advantage, whether in business or in personal life, the medium of the written word offers an advantage far greater than we ordinarily find time to reflect upon. As a consequence, the writer is to be valued as a pioneer of human progress, at every instance in which he or she picks up a quill, a pen, or a keyboard. The writer is like the bedrock of the river of human progress. Over the pages of the written word flow the ink of expanding civilization. Through the creative efforts of the writer, the genius of each age is preserved for contemporary and subsequent generations to use in advancing human progress. The writer's craft is as indispensable as it is truly invaluable, but if you must give it value, raise your sights as high as your hand can possibly reach.