So I know the title is a bit weird, but that was what prompted this post. I bet you don't know what Balm of Gilead refers to, you may not have even ever heard it before. I sing it in church fairly often, and had no clue what I was saying, which is a problem I vow to fix. I mean, I understand the importance of words. I have taken AP English. I have studied texts and their meanings. Yet I have never applied what I learned in class to my life outside of school. I have never truly looked at what the texts I read for personal enjoyment and asked myself what it is meant to mean.
We take certain things for granted in our words. Phases we say everyday, songs we sing, books we read, are all passed of as something we totally understand, but we really don't. We simply know that someone once decided that those words were important, but we never ask why. I know as an author, I spend hours trying to find just the right words to represent the actions I see happening in my head. I will type a few words, use the back space to erase them, then try again. sometimes the phrase is written and rewritten several times. Sometimes it comes out just right the first time. My point is words have meaning, deep meaning.
I know this. I love this about words. I especially love the written word. It is part of the reason why I enjoy reading and writing so much. Unfortunately, I take it for granted sometimes, especially with the things that see all the time. For example there is the song I got the line Balm of Gilead from. I sung it several times, but until yesterday, I didn't pay enough attention to it to know what it was that I was saying (how often does that happen in this world? I'm pretty sure that answer is all the time.) To me they were just words that fit into the beat, they were the same word everyone else was saying. As I payed closer attention, I noticed the phrase. The way it was written told me it was important. I didn't know why, to me it was nonsense. I am blessed to have the technology, however, on my phone that I could look it up. I was able to right there pull out my phone and type into the Google search bar "Balm of Gilead". In two seconds I discovered the importance of a phrase I had seen several times but had ignored.
As an author, I understand the time that must have gone into the song to make it just right, and I feel bad for taking those words for granted. As such I have made a commitment to pay more attention to the words that I read, the words I say, to undesrtand what they are, to appreciate their full meaning. I encourage you to do the same. You might be surprised what you might learn.
Who knows, maybe it will change your life...
Aly Kay
When sore trial came upon you
Did you think to pray?
When your soul was full of sorrow
Balm of Gilead did you borrow
At the gates of Day?
Did You Think to Pray Lyrics by Mary A Kidder