What makes the written word so powerful?

Ever think you’re having the worst day of your life, only to discover someone who is having a worse day than you? That’s where my head was when I came across a link Aurelia B. Rowl sent into my Facebook news feed. It said “Will anyone miss me when I’m gone?” This link is to a flash fiction blog post by L.M. Stull. At the time I first saw it, I believed it was a young woman reaching out in desperation. My first thought was; What can I say to offer this person hope? As I read, the fictional nature of the post became apparent much to my relief. But by then it was too late for me. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s because I was in a dark place and my emotions were already raw, but Ms. Stull’s dark work affected me deeply. Her words tumbled over and over through my mind preventing me from thinking of anything else. I found myself compelled to post a response on her blog and in doing so discovered the determination to push on through my rough spell. It’s been a while but I still can’t get this piece of powerful prose off my mind. The vivid imagery and unrestrained emotion Ms. Stull conveyed has been stuck with me ever since. I think that’s the mark of a great writer.
The moral of this story: We never know how our actions will affect others or how far reaching the consequences will be.