The Scent of Pencil Lead

There's something special about the scent of freshly ground pencil lead. The feel of a pencil's faceted wood between my fingers, even the crumbling bits of eraser left after changing a mistake, tug me closer to any topic about which I write. Typing onto a keyboard doesn’t inspire me as deeply as the snick of a sharpened pencil moving over lined paper. Somehow, it adds distance between the idea and the page.
Perhaps, technology acts like artistic static. Nature, in all its forms, generates mental and emotional intimacy. It plucks the heartstrings of the writer, like the skilled hands of a harpist. A walk along the lake, a run through the park, or a moment of stillness beneath a tree can reconnect us with our inner and outer worlds, stimulating physical senses and mental acuity.
Gretel Erlich said, “Leaves are verbs that conjugate the seasons.”
The look of a leaf, the scent of its sap, the firm yet gentle feeling of its ribbed edges against your skin, stirs deeply buried remnants of imagination. Words you know but haven’t used in a while rise to mind. Writing becomes both visual and mental, composition an all-encompassing journey, as the senses reawaken the enthusiasms of youth. 
As a child, I used to stop each time I sharpened a pencil, holding the point under my nose and sniffing, luxuriously. The scent of the lead was as satisfying as the smell of fresh bread.
So, stop and smell the pencil lead. It may be just the stimulation you need to breathe authenticity onto the page. 

The Right Word

The right word can change the world. Why? Because words change hearts and minds. They open new vistas of thought, facet ideas, inflame debate, motivate change and empower dreams. The right word sheds light, wisdom and clarity, wielding immeasurable influence. It may also disguise corruption, redefine worth, conceal ugliness, manipulate thought or twist truth into labyrinths of error.
Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between the lightening and the lightening bug.”
Although talking about creative writing, this quote rings true, since writers wield more power than they guess. Few realize the impact of their words, tossing them casually out into the world, ignorant of the ripples of discontent or satisfaction that they may cause.
Think before you write. Students should question teachers before crafting words of praise, especially when addressing “popular” subjects. Parents should pause before labeling a child with words, either good or bad. Business communicators should weigh the truthfulness of their words, instead of their prospective profitability.
The influence of our words, either written or spoken, will live as legacies long after we have forgotten them. Choose the right word, the true word, the word you can hang your heart on. For the words you choose change the world as you pass through it, leaving the imprint of ideas and ideals on the souls of others.