Blog 21

After listening to the podcast on words, I’m prompted to think about the role that words have played in my life so far. In being an overly anxious child, I relied on words to let out the feelings trapped in my body while my overly anxious younger brother let out his feelings in the form of anger, prompted by the inability to find words for himself. And as someone who, as everyone who knows me can confirm; is never at a loss for words, I’ve used language my whole life. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized the importance of language as the necessity it is. For example, why doesn’t can’t an English speaking person abruptly move to Europe with as much ease as moving to a neighboring state? The language barrier. Language and being able to interpret it is something we as human beings rely upon, just as I relied upon language as a child attempting to articulate my feelings to adults when experiencing an anxiety attack. And just as my tantrum-prone younger brother proved as a child, when people fail to have a grip on language and it can prove to be a frustrating roadblock, incredibly difficult to pass. Looking forward to my future as someone who is pursuing a career in the medical field and understanding the importance of language I know for certain that I will use language as a most trusted tool. I’ll need language to comfort my patient in the dental office when they’re experiencing anxiety about an upcoming procedure, I’ll need language to inform the doctor that my patient needs a filling or whatnot. Just as that patient and that doctor will, in turn, need an understanding of language as well. Language is something that as humans, we struggle to function smoothly in every situation without. No matter what language an individual speaks or what form said language comes in, written on a page or as spoken words, language is everywhere and we need it for absolutely everything in one way or another,