words words everywhere

It's true, a picture is worth a thousand of them. But what about words that stand alone? Words that jump out at us from brick walls, sidewalks, or the back of buildings? What about words we find, words of our choosing, words that sit heavy with importance?

Words are a life line to me. I picture them with personality and quirks of their own, much like the people that live and breathe around me. Words stand with arms crossed and narrowed eyes, they tiptoe, they tilt their head back to the sky, they whisper, they shout. They are the abc's of letterhood, all standing single file arranging themselves into words, holding hands to form sentences, waiting to enter your line of vision at just the right moment.

Words can be anchors to keep us down or they can be rescue ropes to pull us out. On good days I find reassurance. And on bad days I find reassurance too. If the universe could speak what would it say? Perhaps that life is beautiful, or you are beautiful, or the three little words we most need to hear. 

If you haven't found any words with your camera lately, maybe try seeking them out today. Look in all the familiar places, you might be surprised by what you find. If you have no camera, share with me your most favorite word. And I will compile a list of yours and add it to my own.

In exchange (and in honor of Giveaway May) I will share with you a string of my own words. Just leave a comment here by Thursday at midnight, with your favorite word or photo of a word. One lucky winner will receive a copy of my self published book Life Is Weird.

Words words everywhere, give me yours and I'll give you mine. And today, we'll help the world spin round and round.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Random number generated: 22

yay for even-repeating-numbers! congratulations to cinco_mom who was our 22nd commenter and wins the Life Is Weird book giveaway!

Comments

[Marcie]

I have no words today..only numbers. But - I have to think there is some significance in them..some deeper meaning and inspiring message:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1174
Congratulations on your book!!!

[DorkyMum]

Great post - I too am a huge fan of words. The best ones are the unexpected ones. I didn't notice the word in this shot while I was taking it, it was only when I was viewing it on my computer later that I saw the word, and it made me so happy :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorkymum/4578104451

These are some other favourites:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorkymum/4385182948

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorkymum/4384608757

And, ever optimistic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorkymum/4384616829

[Vanessa]

love yourself today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4613124248/in/set-72157607625768404/

xo

[Jennifée]

"Words words everywhere, give me yours and I'll give you mine. And today, we'll help the world spin round and round."

I couldn't agree more in general, and I love this sentence in particular.

I have started a little project I call 'Shooting language'. Quite possibly it's an impossible project, but I very much enjoy it anyway, as I attempt to find new ways to view the language that surrounds me. My favourite language shot so far is perhaps this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/4534478140/in/set-72157623758854455/

[yvonne]

"words are like pearls strung together"
throw my name in the hat as well and thank you.

[elk]

i am happy about your photo book...

made this awhile back:

http://redorgrayart.blogspot.com/2010/04/o.html

[maja]

"life is a lesson on letting go"

[xanthe]

so beautiful meredith. life is beautiful, thanks for the reminder.

i also needed these words today, thank you making me look back for them

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/4618527274/

xoxox.

[Chrissy Dollar]

I love finding words in the world that give us reminders. Here are some of my favorites.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissydollar/3815248928/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissydollar/3812608931/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissydollar/3630155267/

[Meg]

I need to pay better attention to the words around me. I'm glad that i read this today. I've been drowning in boxes and general upheaval from our move, and this seemed to ground me a bit.

My favorite word? How about

Possibilities

[Clara]

Currently, my favorite word is "liminal." It's defined as an intermediate state or phase. I think of it as that magic in-between time between day and night, or night and dawn, or the imperceptible nano-second between being undecided and making a decision. Perhaps, too, it's those "spaces in between," the ones between words, that convey the real meaning of what is being said.

[giftsofthejourney (Elizabeth Harper)]

Some of my very favorite words can be found in combination here ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64505666@N00/4617986057/

[Katy]

Here is a form I saw at an elementary school:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katyharmer/4599713315/

[Katy]

p.s. My favourite word is Firetruck. It is wonderful to just enjoy the sounds of the word as they go through your mouth....a good F, a good, R, a good TR, with a great CK at the end. Feels great to say.

[Diane]

Luscious.

It's the one word left on my fridge from a box of Magnetic Poetry and I love that it's the last one standing... : )

[claudia]

favorite reminder...forever ♥
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/4282037071/

[kristin]

oh yes messages from the universe. i think they are there when you NEED to find them. i love when you notice one you must have walked past many times and never taken notice til that one day (usually a bad one) when you SEE it and recieve it.

i try and keep an eye out for those positive words.
i love stumbling on some and honestly i am ALWAYS more than tempted to leave some of my own.... perhaps one day i will.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=graffiti&w=14811117%40N02

here was one i found a few weeks ago on a walk in philly with my best friend. she turned to me and said every time she walks past this she think of me. somehow that makes this all the more special.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4618625336/

[ToniM]

Beautiful post Meredith. I don't seem to take photos of words myself, but I am very drawn to those I see on flickr, my favorites are comprised mostly of "word" or saying photos.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michel92/favorites/

Being mindful of words in the everyday will be a new summer project for me.

[BlessedMess]

My two year old and I came across these words and I couldn't help but snap a picture...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12418609@N00/4093792100/

[sara]

never thought about words in this way . . .
but some letters mean more than words, especially when left by someone you love . . .

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49243144@N08/sets/72157624086338062/

[Deedrie]

My favorite word is pragmatic. I was lucky enough to find this...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bricoleathome/4618742316

[AnnGeeDee]

I purchased some jewerly a few weeks ago and the box was so lovely with a cute little phrase: http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/40070449@N08/4580278906/

[cinco_mom]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/4618139781/
a little love note from my girl.♥

[soupatraveler]

i came across this one last month while on a walk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46922592@N00/4513699276/in/set-72157616341423684/. it was scratched out of moss on a huge drainpipe. I love knowing that someone, somewhere, love's their life enough to shout it out to the world!

[Ruth]

farmers market, plant, picnic, bike ride...these are some of my favorite words right now.

[all the fine things]

I am a word fiend as well. Here are a few of my faves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46362400@N06/4430220254/in/set-72157623068460869/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46362400@N06/4313558676/in/set-72157623068460869/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46362400@N06/4401464722/in/set-72157623068460869/

[Sherralee]

The world's most powerful word...it's everywhere...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4550188346_8afe325e4e_b.jpg

[Tiffani]

words/phrases are some of my favorite things to look for when I'm out with my camera. Love this post, love your words :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/childplay/4523870655/in/set-72157619525452276/

[georgia]

oh, i really like this post, merideth! i knew it was from you before i even finished reading it.

i would LOVE to win your book, but even if that was not incentive to comment, i would still be so happy to participate in your prompt, because i love words and letters and typography {must be the graphic designer in me}. i love adding words to my photos. but now as an aspiring photographer, i would really like to seek them out in the photo to begin with. something i definitely want to practice doing more of. it's one of the reasons i would love to live in the city {chicago}, because i feel like there would be so many interesting words and signs to photograph.

oh, now i'm rambling. : )
ok, i shot this today in response to your post:
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2010/05/because-i-feel-its-what-i-was-born-to.html

but on sunday, i created my own word... well, what i mean is i spelled it out myself. it was not already there. here is a little story about it.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-was-right-path-was-still-there.html

and you are right... life IS beautiful.

[Alice]

Piecemeal; bit by bit, start something without really knowing which direction it will take (my definition :) )

[Tracy Cooper]

toothsome.

(a palatable flavor and pleasing texture. Delicious.)

A word I use whenever I want comfort food.

[Lynn]

Live - It's what everyone, everywhere should do all the time.

[Jamie Solorio]

Love is my favorite word!

Messing around with some letters that are in my kitchen, that was fun.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49026977@N05/4619167214/

www.jamie-solorio.blogspot.com

[sarah]

hello! here is one i just took of a reminder i need in my life with small children:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4613056703/

[MacKenzie]

Juice

[Heather]

I happened upon this list back in January.
It is amazing how much meaning can be packed in so few words.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/htekmo/4273350468/in/set-72157622999851083/

(we did remember to bring him.)

[cigi]

I used to walk by this on an almost daily basis. It was during a painful time and a sad reminder of loss:

http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/134365/

[rachael s]

right now, my favorite words are courage and possibility.

[Victoria]

Often I find words or sentences in books that I want to, need to, must absorb. On this day I found the following sentence and I wrote it down. Afterwards I realized that the theme for the week for a Flickr photo group I participate in was "orange." I offered the following capture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6riddles/4520539087/in/set-72157622865224518/

[Katrina Kennedy]

I spent an entire weekend photographing the words "No Parking" in San Francisco. Here is just one of them :) I love words and I love your post!

http://ianck.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-heart-photo-walks.html

[Kylie]

words are amazingly powerful - and i would have to say my fav word is 'powerful'.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/madelynsmum/4256525464/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/madelynsmum/4328027389/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/madelynsmum/4104426593/

[Sarah - Ji]

I call 'em the Message From The Universe set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/sets/72157622927029274/detail/

And I as a proud and delighted owner of Meredith's book, I can say that the winner will be one lucky person!

[Trude]

Got this fortune a few weeks ago, and even though it's a silly pre-printed thing, it still felt good to read these words, especially considering that I'm trying to build up my photography so I can leave my day job: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/4529260044/

Thanks for doing the giveaway!

[keli]

some funny words ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twelve-paws/4619246589/

[Lisa]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29380197@N03/4315576044/

I love looking for words that, even if we see them every day, maybe mean something different to every person who reads them. I love this post, and this challenge. This is one I am definitely going to try getting creative with. :)

[Breanne]

My favorite word... right now, it's try.

[Tracy]

Saw these today!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/4619830990/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/4619826108/

[Beverly]

my favorite word is Love

[lucy]

i completely relate to this post! i love words, signs .... in fact, i am doing my 365 project dedicated to words:

http://eleganceofwords.blogspot.com

[Leslie]

I love the word "portfolio." It's mysterious and contains many possibilities.

I also love the word "tump." I was convinced that I made it up (it means "to turn over when taking a corner really fast in a car"), but I don't think so. :/