Words are akin to ‘handles’ that empower the mind to internally reflect and manipulate elements of experience such as entities, objects, values, functions, relationships, methods and gestalts.

In the beginning, this is not too dangerous. We know that we do not have all the words, and thus, that words are incomplete.

But later, as we develop expertise with language, we come to think of ourselves as masters. This is where the danger begins. We begin to substitute expertise with the handles for relational intimacy with their referents.

The problem is simple: the world does not exist as representations. Therefore it cannot be successfully ‘handled’ by words; this privilege is reserved for our hearts.