Symbols

So..

I really should be asleep right now but I really wanted to write this post. I've gotten less than seven hours sleep every night for almost a week when it should be nine. Did you know that? Nine hours at least for teens.
Anyway. Symbolism is..let's see.."The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships."

Symbols and symbolism fascinate me and are a major part of my thinking. No one really knows this because I've been like this for so long that I don't even realise it. Symbols are somehow just important. Every part of language contains symbols and your name is a symbol representing you as an individual. Without your name there is no way to distinguish you specifically from a million people who look, talk and think like you. I have a shelf in my room where I keeps little bits and pieces I've picked up or bought or been given that all represent some memory. For example, there's a completely ordinary block of wood that brings up memories of going to the National Folk Festival last year. I have a dollar I will never spend because an old no-longer-a-friend once gave it to me on a whim and I wanted to remember them with it. Symbols permeate your lives, even once you disregard letters and numbers that represent sounds. Simple things like arrows telling you where to go and logos to represent your favourite brands. Looking at a key might evoke feelings of home,while a chain represents imprisonment. For me, weird things like the number seventeen represent randomness and independence. The heavy metal 'devil horns' for me means power over myself and control of my future. What do symbols mean for you?