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Melissa Balmer
September 2009 
Do Words Create Feelings, or Feelings Words?
Posted on Apr 21st, 2009
by 
Melissa
Melissa
That was a thought that struck me today as I got off the bus and walked across the street to borrow my brother's car for an appointment early this morning. I was pondering a section of the YA fantasy novel I'm writing, and thinking about the power of names, and how in fantasy literature (and certain religions) names have such power. Know the full name of a fairy knight and voila he's yours for the commanding (aka Tithe by Holly Black). Travel to the ends of the known world to learn the name of God and you can free your dearest friend from eternal servitude (aka Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey) from a vengeful angel.
Perhaps it's a bit of both. Certainly the more I focus on the idea happiness, the thought of s, and what really makes me happy (versus what I've thought in the past would make me happy) the happier I am. The study and noticing of happiness when it occurs, the recognition of it, the honoring of it, brings more.
And sometimes it's just a song that brings a surprise of happiness, remind us of a perfect day at the beach, or the best childhood Christmas.
Oddly enough on my Pandora.com right now is playing a song that always makes me happy when I hear it - Mathew Sweet's "I've Been Waiting" from the "Girlfriend" album with the gorgeous Tuesday Weld on the cover (I had to look that up, I've wondered about it for years). It brings back the sweet romantic hopefulness of a certain time in my life.
Sadly the song is from was a time when I didn't realize how much I had going for me, or how young I was (I never thought I was young when I actual was young) but still it makes me happy to hear because romance is eternal, it's not just for the young, and I get now how important it is to be in the now, and accept whatever happy romantic-ness the universe wants to hand me, even if it's just a few minutes of a song.
Perhaps it's a bit of both. Certainly the more I focus on the idea happiness, the thought of s, and what really makes me happy (versus what I've thought in the past would make me happy) the happier I am. The study and noticing of happiness when it occurs, the recognition of it, the honoring of it, brings more.
And sometimes it's just a song that brings a surprise of happiness, remind us of a perfect day at the beach, or the best childhood Christmas.
Oddly enough on my Pandora.com right now is playing a song that always makes me happy when I hear it - Mathew Sweet's "I've Been Waiting" from the "Girlfriend" album with the gorgeous Tuesday Weld on the cover (I had to look that up, I've wondered about it for years). It brings back the sweet romantic hopefulness of a certain time in my life.
Sadly the song is from was a time when I didn't realize how much I had going for me, or how young I was (I never thought I was young when I actual was young) but still it makes me happy to hear because romance is eternal, it's not just for the young, and I get now how important it is to be in the now, and accept whatever happy romantic-ness the universe wants to hand me, even if it's just a few minutes of a song.
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I think you're right; I think it's both. Sometimes our expressions bubble up from our thoughts, and sometimes the language we use helps influence what we're feeling. I think, like most things (and like all relationships :), it's a two-way street.
Thank you for this beautiful post, though, and for the reminder of that song.