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The Power of Word Pictures
It is the last full day of our vacation in Yachats, pronounced "ya-hahts".
This amazing place was named after the Yachats Native Americans who were hunters and gathers in the 1500's. There are several translations of the word, but the one I appreciate the most truly characterizes the environment here: "as far as you can go along the beach."
I am in our living room nestled up in the lounge chair, looking at the omnipresent ocean through our panoramic view windows. The sky is cloudy with streaks of power blue on the horizon, hinting to a possible clearing.
Ocean waters appear foamy, grayish-white, but they play surf music with wave cymbals and splash drums. Sometimes they erupt into blow-hole spectaculars; actually shooting spray twenty or more feet into the air between the volcanic rock fingers.
I think that writers should capture images that inspire and connect emotionally with the reader. For example, the last two sunsets here were an almost out-of-body experience for me. We can all relate to sunsets, right?
Along these lines, I recall that the sun sphere presented its magical illusion of disappearing into the ocean horizon. The sky became a radiant portrait of pastel colored ribbons, gleaming with flame red, tangerine, soft pink and every shade in between.
Such a vision was accompanied by a sea chorus, singing to all of us about the mystery and wonder of life.
I suggest writers read their material out loud. The sound of words casts a rhythm of sentences, which comfort, inspire and reveal pathways to better stories. They can even point the way to emotional healing.
To illustrate this, I remember the hike I took yesterday with our son Jason and our 14-year-old granddaughter, Kaidyn. I experienced considerable comfort and pleasure from reading out loud the following passages:
We started at a place called Cape Perpetua, high in the mountains off the Highway 101 South, heading out of Yachats towards the quaint town of Florence. The ocean view from the roadside observation station was enough to take our breath away.
In the distance was the pine tree covered peninsula that formed one arm of the U-shaped bay. Pulsating, whitecap waves in parallel lines rolled endlessly up and over the volcanic rock slabs below. The rocks appeared to look like gigantic, distorted, black and white checkerboard squares.
This scene compelled us to move down the hilly hiking trail, which descended through ferns and Queen Anne’s Lace fauna to explore the rock formations at the oceans' edge. These ancient protrusions, we soon discovered, kept hidden wondrous tide pools, stocked with fishy sea smells of anemones, multicolored star fish and purple and pink sea urchins.
We laughed and shouted to each other when making new discoveries, played out against a background of surf timpani and blow-hole eruptions. The water spray, sea energy and excitement underscored the incalculable value of family love, and the awesome glory of life itself.
My last idea for writers is to slow down and breathe. I cannot emphasize how important it is to do this. When you live in the moment, your positive inner voice will guide you and achieve whatever you seek, whether it is a published book or a healthier life.
I believe we move too fast in American culture. We numb ourselves out with mind- altering behaviors, distractions and electronic devices. Let me share with you how I slowed down on my vacation.
Now the clouds have moved out; the sun is gloriously back, framing the sky with a collage of deep blue, power blue and pale pinks on the ocean horizon. I walk outside to the grassy cliff behind our rental home and simply pause to listen.
I become more aware of the sea concert carried on a salty, windy breeze that embraced all of my senses. I assume the crouching Tai Chi position, taking a deep breath for three seconds, exhaling slowly for six, and float my arms up like the extended wings of a great swan.
As I went through my healing ritual of breathing, stretching, dancing and affirmations, I noticed my son and granddaughter observing me through the windows. They were laughing and copying my various closed-hand prayer positions. I smiled back, gave them a thumbs up, and finished the process of standing still in the blessed moment of the now.
The message my inner voice told me was about the acceptance of humility and gratitude that comes from writing about these precious moments, and the joy of sharing them with all who find comfort from a writer's word pictures.
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