So I can exercise my independence.

I have my own declaration of independence. By speaking my mind. Nobody can shut me up. I'm able to write. Exactly what's on my mind. I like that feeling. The written word is so much more superior than the spoken word. Because I can see it. Not only hear it. But see it. Of course, I can hear and see someone who's talking or singing. Because we have videos. And recordings. But still, my real love is for the written word. That's the biggest discovery of my life. Not that I can speak. But that I can write. My own words. Allows me to capture a moment. And preserve it. In writing. And that makes for a better memory. Otherwise, I might forget. But I can always retrieve the written word. My thoughts. In ancient times, most people could speak. But few could write. Writing is a relatively recent method of mass communication. Although we now do it on a machine. A computer. Used to be with pen or pencil. Or a typewriter. Maybe penmanship will soon become a lost art. In elementary school, penmanship was my favorite subject. I excelled. Got straight 'A' in penmanship. Maybe I came close to flunking geometry and chemistry and Latin. But I relished learning how to write by hand. Slowly. Neatly. Legibly. But as I matured, I cherished speed. I began to scribble. So, thank god for the typewriter and the word processor and the computer. Even makes it possible for me to self-publish. Like with this blog. Which I write daily. So that I can exercise/exert my independence. --Jim Broede