【Notice】 This article was written using AI (Claude). I spent time crafting the prompts as an experiment to articulate my own thoughts. It may feel "AI-generated," but the feelings I want to convey are genuine. Please let me know what you think!
Without Words, Love Cannot Reach
"What did you tell someone precious to you today?"
How many people can answer this question with confidence? Day after day, we face our loved ones, yet we swallow the feelings in our hearts. "They'll understand without me saying it," "It's embarrassing," "I'll do it next time"—with such excuses, we postpone putting our thoughts into words.
However, the work "Violet Evergarden" poses a sharp question to us: "There are things that cannot be conveyed unless put into words."
The Misunderstanding Called Silence
We often misunderstand. We believe that if we spend enough time together, the other person will understand our feelings. Because they're family, friends, or lovers, we assume we can understand each other without words.
But is that really true?
Do your parents know that you're grateful to them every day? Do your friends truly understand how much you cherish them? If you haven't put it into words, it may be nothing more than "your assumption."
The human heart is not transparent glass. No matter how close the relationship, hearts cannot connect without building a bridge of words. Silence is sometimes received as "indifference." Or it may be misunderstood as "being disliked." What silence creates is not understanding, but rather misunderstanding.
The Price of Regret
Many of the stories depicted in the work are filled with regret: "I should have put it into words."
A certain father cannot show straightforward affection to his daughter and faces her wedding. A certain mother falls ill before she can tell her young daughter "I love you." What they have in common is the illusion that time is infinite. "I'll say it someday," "I'll tell them eventually"—that "someday" may never come.
Aren't we making the same mistake? Don't we unconsciously assume that our precious people will be by our side tomorrow, next year, and ten years from now?
But life is surprisingly fragile. There is no guarantee that we can talk to that person tomorrow. Accidents, illness, relocation, changes in relationships—there are countless factors that can separate people. And feelings that were never put into words can never be delivered again.
There is no heavier burden than regret. "If only I had said thank you then," "If only I had told them I loved them"—living with such thoughts must be the most painful thing.
The Power of Words, The Miracle of Words
So why do we fear putting things into words?
It's because we know the power that words hold. Words have the power to change relationships. The power to change the atmosphere. That's why we hesitate. The fear that "once I say it, there's no going back" holds the words at our throats.
However, that very fear proves the value of words.
The moment we put it into words, feelings transform from mere "emotions" into "reality." The words "thank you" make gratitude visible. The words "I love you" give love a form. The words "I'm sorry" open the door to reconciliation.
Each letter that Violet writes in the story changes people's lives. Words melt frozen relationships. Words reconnect hearts that have drifted apart. Words give hope to live. Words have that much power.
The Gift of Today
Then what should we do?
The answer is clear. Put it into words today, right now.
They don't need to be perfect words. They don't need to be refined expressions. Even if they're halting or clumsy, if they're words from your heart, that's enough. Simple words like "Thank you always," "I'm glad you're here," "I cherish you"—such words can become light that illuminates someone's life.
Think about it. If someone you cherish said such words to you, how happy would you be? Your heart would warm, and it would give you the strength to live, wouldn't it? Then the other person must feel the same. They must be waiting for your words.
Putting things into words takes courage. There's embarrassment. Timing is difficult. But still, it's worth putting into words. Because the regret of not putting it into words lasts a lifetime, but the courage of putting it into words enriches both your life and theirs.
The Courage to Put Love into Words
What "Violet Evergarden" teaches us is that love is action, and love is words. If we only keep it in our hearts, it's not love—it's merely a "secret." Love becomes love only when it's expressed. Only when conveyed does it reach the other person's heart.
We can all become Violet to someone. We can build a bridge of words to the hearts of our precious people. We can cross that bridge and deliver our feelings.
So let's start today. Let's abandon the indulgence of "they'll understand without me saying it" and have the courage to put it into words. Let's overcome embarrassment and say "thank you." Let's not lose to shyness and tell them "I love you."
Because there's someone waiting for your words. And because life is shorter than we think, and tomorrow is not promised.
Without words, love cannot reach. But when put into words, love lives forever.
