Everytime I sit down to write... or think about sitting down to write... I get scared by the written word. It is one form of respect. Of this entity that is the written word. Respect and a little terror. Everytime I think about it, about the process involved, the way it works... words are not gentle. They demand to be precise, conclusive and real. They strip you naked, magnify your flaws - not their flaws, mind you - of all that they compose an image, a reflection which they don't hesitate to show to you and the rest of the world. They're powerful, and they know it. There is no use hiding things. Covering it with pretty flowers and pleasant scents. Ultimately you can't pretend. They won't allow it. They'll expose you as the charlatan you are. They are merciless to your thoughts. Your ideas, mental images, impulses can be as fuzzy, as relative as they like. It ends the moment you need to put them into words. Make them appear. Words, letters just won't let you be fuzzy. They'll punish you if you dare to try. What remains is pure precision. There are no uncertainties, no in-between-s. You put it down, one letter after the other. Word after word. There is no room for uncertainty. They'll put a spot light on your naked body, showing every single hair of yours in high resolution. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise. That's why I have respect for the written word. And why sometimes I am scared of writing. It is not always this way. But when I haven't written for a while I tend to forget. I forget that the words are not there to harm me. They don't want to make your life harder. But neither do they want to lead an existence of fuzziness, shimmering edges and smeared meanings. They only want what is best for them. And for you. If you respect those rules they will be kind to you. Reward you and respect your faith in them. So. There is no reason to be afraid, is there?