By: Lori T. Williams, Owner/Managing Attorney of Your Legal Resource, PLLC
My 11 year old was belting out the above lyrics to the famous Michael Jackson song on his way to school one day. I told him what the correct lyrics were, but then wondered, “do musicians really care if you get their lyrics right; or are they just happy you are still singing any form of them years later?”
This morning’s incident reminded me of when my other son was six, and insisted that Chumbawumba was singing “I get no town!”, instead of the correct lyrics: “I get knocked down.” No amount of logic would convince my son that he misunderstood the lyrics. Not even the very next line in the song, “but I get up again.” Who gets up again if they get no town? It makes no sense. But if you get knocked down, you get up again.
I don’t know if it’s only my family that has a hearing problem, or should I say a comprehension problem, or if we’re all a little “tone deaf” to the intended meaning of words sometimes. I have a friend whose marketing business is called TheWriteConcept.com, and her tag line is “We move minds, generate sales, and drive results with words that matter.” I thought that was clever, AND spot on! She artfully selects just the right words in her business communications, and she beautifully creates logos and other visuals to impact the reader so they remember what she has written and/or designed.
Words do matter, in every context, I believe. From personal relationships, to business communications, to legal contracts. We should spend much more time artfully crafting our words so that they are remembered and understood. In our fast paced society, we tend to scan and spew information. Let’s slow down a bit and make sure our intended message is being heard and understood. Can you imagine someone repeating, or singing, your words 20 years from now?
If you need a business attorney to draft a contact for you, or make sense of a contract you received, or if you need legal help for a personal matter, feel free to contact us. We work with affordable legal specialists in all areas of law in Michigan, and can connect you with the right professional for your situation.
