WHEN WORDS ARE NOT USELESS - Part 1

If any of us needed it, here's proof that the Internet is a global village.  You may have read here about the international BookCrossing group I've joined online, a place to "release books into the wild."  there are also many message forums there, a recent one has been messages of sympathy, love and support for the people of Spain. This morning I found there this reply from a Spanish bookcrosser.

WHEN WORDS ARE NOT USELESS

I feel impotent. I’m facing a blank screen, trying to put in order so many feelings and images of death, pain and anger that even my fingers tremble over the keyboard. The heavy weight of reality has sunk our souls so deeply that I simply don’t feel able to lift them with the fragile ropes of words. And that’s the only thing that seems to be clear in my head so far: words are not enough. Most of us spend our lives thinking they are powerful. As readers, we assume words are able to convey a whole range of human emotions and to reach our souls making us laugh, cry or shiver with fear. Still, when something like the recent Madrid terrorist attacks happen, they seem useless.

Horror struck us hard, dried up our throats and filled our eyes with tears. Two hundred people died; all their dreams, illusions and feelings shattered. And with them, a part of ourselves died as well. We couldn’t believe something so obnoxious could happen again and so brutally. Spain has been bearing the curse of terrorism in the last decades, but that doesn’t mean we can get accostumed to it. You can’t get used to insanity.

After the blasts, the whole country was in state of shock. We felt weaker and more horrified that ever, but we tried our best to cope, to help in any way possible, giving blood, helping the victims, calling friends and relatives just to let them know that we were safe. .. All of us were deeply wounded. And above all, speechless. Despite that, some of us wanted to share our pain with thousands of Bookcrossers. And you answered. Oh my God, how did you answer! (Continues in Part 2)