“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.
Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”
~ J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It was that magical time of the year. The soft glow of twinkling technicolour lights filled the lawn of the villa, while the soothing sound of carols drifted through the air. The unmistakable aroma of delectable dishes rendered the chilled December air fragrant. All the words from the dictionary had gathered to celebrate a Christmas party at the villa of the word ‘Celebration’.
The guests gathered around tables laden with delicious food and beverages. In the soft glow of the fairy lights, they looked happy.
‘Happiness’ and ‘Laughter’ stood hand in hand.
“The evening belongs to us,” they declared triumphantly.
‘Celebration’, the host of the party, gave them an indulgent smile and raised a toast to its fellow words.
“To words — the most powerful forces in human civilization.”
‘Speech’, with its spectacles perched on the tip of its nose, cleared its throat and added in a sombre voice, “You’re right. Every civilization was built on words — spoken promises, written laws, shared stories, and passed-down beliefs. Words shape how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, and how we interpret the world.”
Everybody concurred. “We are powerful, indeed,” they nodded in unison.
‘Science’ interrupted them. “What you’re saying is true. But it’s also true that for ages, people were punished for expressing ideas backed by me. Can you remember Michael Servetus, the physician from Spain? He was burned alive in 1553. His crime was not murder, treason, or any other act of violence. His crime was contained in his book Christianismi Restitutio, where he offered groundbreaking insights into blood circulation.”
‘Book’ nodded in agreement. “Many of my offspring were banned. Many were burned in public ceremonies for going against established norms. From the banning of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium written by Nicolaus Copernicus in 1616, to the ban of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, to the more recent ban of Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses, the list of banned books is endless.”
‘Power’ laughed uproariously. “That’s because of me — Power. All these acts were committed to demonstrate myself.”
‘Faith’ bristled in anger. “Many of my fellow words have hurt my sentiments on many occasions. Don’t forget that.”
‘Blind’ chimed in. “Please, Faith, don’t be like me. You have the power to move mountains. Focus on that. Remember that your true job is to reconnect the hearts of human beings to God and draw them back into the harmony of His way of life.”
Everybody agreed with ‘Blind’.
‘Truth’ was perhaps a little drunk. Too exhausted, it was no longer interested in arguing. In a tired voice, it said, “No matter what happens, the complete destruction of Truth has always proved impossible. I, Truth, have a way of surviving.”
With brows furrowed, ‘Power’ looked sternly at ‘Truth’.
“But you were always afraid of me, weren’t you? Do you remember how, in 1844, when Charles Darwin had finished working on his essay outlining his theory of natural selection, he was terrified to publish it?”
‘Fear’ whispered, “That was because of me. He was mortally afraid.”
‘Courage’ entered the party just then. It was late. Addressing ‘Fear’, it said, “Why are you whispering? Speak aloud! What good have you served till date by cowering in defeat instead of speaking up?”
‘Fear’ retreated into the darkness when named by ‘Courage’.
An uneasy silence fell over the party. The clinking of glasses stopped. ‘Silence’, who was never invited to any party, stood in an empty corner — yet it was very powerful. It spoke the loudest when emotions were high.
‘Celebration’ felt uneasy. It had never imagined the grand Christmas party would go haywire. The lights flickered. It was unsure how to salvage the party.
Then ‘Warning’ came forward and addressed everyone, “Friends, enjoy the party. It won’t last forever.”
‘Love’ looked resplendent in its party costume. “I also exist,” it fluttered its eyelids.
“And me too,” ‘Hope’ chimed in. “Together, we will make the world a beautiful place.”
Everybody clapped in unison.
References:
- The Book That Broke An Empire: When Words Became Weapons by Adam Langweiler
- The Power of Words by Kenneth Onuegbu
Image Courtesy:https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/
If this Christmas gathering of words stirred your thoughts or warmed your heart, leave a comment below and let the conversation continue.
– Swagata Tarafdar
About the Writer
Swagata Tarafdar is an engineer by education and a civil servant by profession. A devoted single mother to a spirited young son, she has been a lifelong bibliophile with an enduring love for words. Amid the delicate balance of work and motherhood, she finds solace and salvation in writing, using it as a space for reflection, resilience, and quiet strength.
