How stunning it is to hold power in words?

Wars start and end with strokes of pens; laws embedded into the system relieve the lives of struggling civilians in times of despair; and relationships are built between two strangers who find friendship in one another by simply creating words or sending a text. These are the pieces of concrete, asphalt, and stone lain down to bridge the gap between two sides.

Words are used to love, to educate, and to resonate with all of us. When Shakespeare first wrote his sonnets with English that had never been used before, the words that were put in use were seen as strange, all because he made them up. Flash forward a few years later and you’ll see many other authors using the same words as their own, sharing the experience of writing but claiming that story as their own. A few years later, Jane Austen writes numerous feminist novels far ahead of her time, but again seen as many in that society as outrageous, simply because they declined female roles and behaviors that had been cemented into society. Now, women are not abject to the same standards as before, even if there are still many unspoken limitations to their images.

This club has taught me the importance in sharing stories with others, whether they are of those who live oceans away, or right next door. These moments that are shared not only allow us to bond as intellects but also as a singular being who strives for human connection. Our humanity, the thing that allows us to love and to learn and express feeling, is integral in these words. To those critics who believe emotions conflict with thinking, there is no such thing.

Were it not for the emotions that Jane Austen felt when writing her novels, many people would not have been able to transform their thinking and prejudices towards women. Were it not for the words of MLK Jr, the Civil Rights movement would not have grown as immensely as it did and drawn as much support.

The connections that exist between people are there because of these words.

So, to the writers besides me in this organization, I thank you every day for being as bright and as creative as you are: without people like you, our club would cease to thrive!

To Ms. Irvine and Mr. Donnelly, who help run this club and assist each and every writer they can, we thank you for always being there.

To the readers, those who happen to click on an article to those who support our work (shoutout to Ms. Summa!!!), writing would not be what it is without you.

Thank you.