There are inevitably times in life where those who work with words have to interact with those who do not. They have to discuss matters of utmost importance. They have to debate crucial decisions. They have to arrive at shared vision and direction. And sometimes, in such situations, the masters of words have the ability to get their way simply because of their mastery.

There isn’t much I know that wasn’t taught to me by someone else. There isn’t much I count as wisdom that didn’t come to me by way of someone older and wiser than myself. The wisdom I am about to share is of exactly that kind. I won’t reveal the source, but will say it was a man known for that rare but beautiful combination of a gentle spirit and a wise mind.

This man works with words. Words are the material he draws upon, the material he shapes, and the material he eventually presents to others. If an artist begins with a vision, a blank canvas, and a palette of colors, this man begins with an idea, a blank page, and a pen. At the beginning of the week he immerses himself in other people’s words, by the middle of the week he is writing words of his own, and at the end of the week he presents these words to others. He has necessarily become a master of words.

As a master of words, he is a master at self-expression. His long labor in words has given him a heightened ability to think, to reason, and to express himself. His unique vocation has allowed him the opportunity to encounter an unusual number of ideas and the freedom to explore them in depth. This has made him especially proficient at what he does. But he has come to realize it has also provided him an unfair advantage in some contexts. His great strength is not far removed from his great weakness. And this was the wisdom he wished to share with me as a fellow-worker in words.

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