I found this quote on Pinterest:
I am strong because I've been weak.
I am fearless because I've been afraid.
I am wise because I've been foolish.
Three little sentences that lead me to want more. Why? Because I have been weak. I have been afraid. I have been foolish.
I have been so many things. And now I am so many other things.
I know the words strong and fearless and wise are listed in this quote. They are there. They are there to make me feel better.
I am strong. I am (almost) fearless. I am wise. And I am so much more.
It's all about the phrasing. I'm not some kind of English or psychology major. It just seems to me that your strongest points should be what you leave your audiences with. Your thoughts of what could be, the thoughts you wish to convey should be what your reader is left with.
What if we looked at the quote like this:
Because I was weak, I am now strong.
Because I was afraid, I am (almost) fearless.
Because I was foolish, I am wise.
The list could continue:
Because I was unaware, I am awake.
Because I was unsure, I am confident.
Because I was dependent, I am self-sufficient.
Because I was unhappy, I am happy.
Because I wasn't me for so many years, I am finally me.
Semantics. To most it is semantics. I'm saying the same thing as the original. But to me, it's a huge difference.
The original sentences. They end with the thoughts of the past. Of who I used to be.
My sentences. They recognize the past, but end with who I am today. They show my progress.
Simple phrasing. Simply switching the order of words we put on the page.
It's your choice. Do you want to remind your audience of their past? Or do you want to remind your audience of where they are now? It's possible that both approaches will help your audience. But one approach ends with the past. The other approach shows a beginning of what could be. Never under estimate the power of your "final" words.
The choice is yours.
