I love words.

The written word, the spoken word. Poems. lyrics, puns. Books, crossword puzzles, jokes, banter. I even love the mechanics of language -- grammar, syntax, linguistics. Heck, in school I used to enjoy diagramming sentences. That's how much I love words.

Luckily, words come easily to me. Want someone on your team for word games? Ooooh, pick me! Need someone to proofread your paper or check your spelling? I'm your girl. Enjoy endless stupid puns? Stick around, you'll be groaning soon.

But ironically, at those times when I really need the perfect word ... moments of intense emotion, when I'm angry or deeply hurt or profoundly moved ... those are the times when my limbic system completely sabotages the language center of my brain, leaving me mute and stupid and teary and grasping for something, anything, to say. It is one of the biggest frustrations of my life ... when I need them the most, words fail me.