As a writer I have often been told to omit cliches, to be unique, to be fresh in my writing, to be creative. Ugh, sometimes a cliche is the perfect expression for what I’m trying to say. Who would the Three Musketeers be without “All for one, and one for all.”? Or, how better to describe the role of a parent cleaning up after a sick child then. “A labor of love.”
Like much of the English language cliche is a French word used by printers to describe the noise made by the stereotype or casting plate during the printing process. If you’re trying to remember your freshman English class, cliche, is an onomatopoeia. I love an onomatopoeia - Boom, Crash, Giggle, Beep!
They whisper to the reader by tapping into another sense.
Cliches were intended to be thought-provoking. The problem is that cliches are popular but therefore become trite when overused. They can be literal, “Batten down the hatches.” or figurative , “Time flies.” Cliches are always contextual. If, “Batten down the hatches.” is used onboard a ship it is literal but shifts meaning when used on land as a storm approaches
Cliches can also provide ways to stay healthy: physically - “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” and mentally - “Don’t jump to conclusions.” I find cliches helpful, especially when I’m feeling stressed, frustrated or struggling with a relationship.
When I’m struggling to deal with someone who I feel just keeps pushing me and pushing me - saying to myself, “What goes around comes around.” Reminds me that "Karma is a Bi!$@" or as my mother used to say “give them enough rope and they’ll hang themself”. For me that last one is a bit too morbid. However, each of these cliches points out that I do not need to do anything. I can rest assured that whomever is acting in this way will create their own downfall by their own foolish acts. I just need to wait and be patient. This was one I used a lot during custody in the process of my divorce.
Another cliche I embrace is “Every cloud has a silver lining.” Which is similar to the aphorism made famous by Alexander Graham Bell,
"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
The first night my children went to stay with their father I found myself focusing on the clouds and the closed door. Thinking about these two ideas pulled my thoughts in a different direction. I started looking for the silver lining and the door that was being opened for me. For me the silver lining was that I could cook gourmet meals for myself, things my children just wouldn’t eat. I love to cook and try new recipes. This made the nights they were away special for me. The door that opened for me - a career woman working on a masters degree - was guilt free time. My children were with a person who loved them, who was taking care of them and I didn’t have to pay for a babysitter.
My all time favorite cliche is - drum roll please -
If you have ever met me in person you’d know I love to laugh. A full on belly laugh is one of the ways I show my love for the world and the people in it. One day I was in a department store in Iowa (this is when I lived full time in Minnesota) in a dressing room and I started laughing. Probably because what I was trying on looked ridiculous. I stepped out of the dressing room area and there was a participant from a professional learning session I had led in the area two years before. She said “I knew you were in here I could hear you laughing.” I’ve been told my laugh is contagious and it is one of the compliments I cherish. Studies have shown that laughter improves your immune system, enhances your oxygen-rich intake of air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles and increases endorphins, decreasing stress.
All for FREE!
As a writer I try to avoid using too many cliches - but I try to live them all the time. They have helped me remember to let go of what I can’t control, look for the good in most situations and laugh whenever possible, especially at myself. After all, I am human and you must admit we are "a piece of work."
Credits:
Created with images by alagz - "La Corbiere lighthouse, Jersey, U.K. A dramatic coastline under the force of storm Callum from the Atlantic Ocean." • enterlinedesign - "Metal Letterpress Letter Background" • Stillfx - "Time flies" • Africa Studio - "Red apple with heart on wooden table, close-up" • Raisa Kanareva - "lifestyle, emotion and people concept: old nice beautiful surprised woman. Isolated over white background."