From one lover of words to another - this is now my very favorite of your posts. I have been a collector of words all my life, since my Dad taught me about words when I was very small. When I asked him what a word meant, he'd say, "What does it feel like in your mouth? What shape is it? What does it taste like? Can you think what it means by how it feels or how it sounds?" I adored those conversations with my Dad, and I think of them often when I encounter a new words or an old favorite. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. ❤️
What a wonderful father you had! All those ways to taste and feel a word before learning the meaning. It must enrich the definition. My father was curious about the roots of words, and that's where I got the bug. Thank you very much for your kind words. I am preening. ( Now I have to look up preen. "salve," " anoint.")
I did indeed, and luckily for me, because he was the balm to my mother's narcissistic abuse. I lost him when I was only 16, but I'm so grateful I had him. How does "preen" feel in your mouth? Preen away. 😂😘
Oh, Abigail. It was very hard for a long time, but death and loss have been a strong thread in my life for a long, long time, and I have learned to be grateful for my Dad and all the others, and to try to live in a way that honors who they were in my life. I hope this isn't too personal, but I am writing a memoir about the 14 months my 23 year old daughter, Amy and I walked her last path together. It's not a grief and loss memoir, I want it to be something entirely different - the story of how we did it together, and how I broke the cycle of abuse (which, of course, was a cycle that haunted my mother's family for generations, and which she didn't know how to break) It was a privilege and joy to walk with Amy and to get to know her in a way I don't think many parents get to know their children - as individuals separate from familial roles. So many gifts in that time. I'll stop now, only just to say that one of the reasons your posts resonate so with me is your own strong and unique voice. Thank you for that! xx
This sounds like a hard journey that ended in love and understanding, Michal. You are courageous, and we will be the stronger for reading what you write.
First: your writing is lovely, like a Japanese brush painting that shows a world with a few strokes. Thank you.
As I read, I felt grateful for my childhood: my mom and dad, an atheist and an agnostic, never brought the idea of “sin” into our upbringing.
We were taught good and evil; that it’s bad to hurt others, yourself, your society, or the planet, and that it’s good to do as much as you can to help and support yourself, others, your society and the planet.
We were taught that we would encounter difficult moral decisions involving competing goods or greater and lesser evils, and they encouraged us to think deeply and always try to choose the greatest good and/or the least evil.
I found and find all of this much easier and less fraught to consider without the overlay of religion that the idea of “sin” brings in…
We didn't have a religious upbringing either, thank the lord. I can't name what I believe in, but I have faith in something that might keep the beauty and the living creatures and green of this planet going after it has shrugged us off. Or maybe I ought to say before we have shrugged ourselves off. I loove that your parents left it up to you, trusting you.
And I’ve ended in the same belief/faith place as you, I think. Having done meditation for 50+ years, it seems to me there’s a pure, lovely energy animating everything.
Oh yes, very much so. Like the Dalai Lama, my religion is kindness. I have had 2 bumper stickers on my car. First, in the early early 70s " Are you kind" and more recently the car I drove to and parked in the Clergy only spot at the churches I served "God is genderless" and so may it be.
Yup. that’s my favorite sentence in the piece! I’m also glad that someone else was awake in the wee hours, too. And I’ve been looking for a better source of the origins of words and now I think I found one thanks to Abigail.
I think your mind goes in similar directions as mine, which wanders a lot these days. I really like you revised seven deadly sins, most of which the White House guy is guilty of -- at least seven times a zillion or more times over. You are the best, Abigail!
I just read Heather Cox Richardson for Nov 21, and the 28 point ‘peace’ plan for Ukraine devised by the fake orange haired chip head and Russia is a true SIN-despicable, deplorable, devastating and deceitful, not to mention outright cruel. My heart is breaking from the ghastliness of this sin against a brave and courageous people.
Which is a much darker note Abigail than your post, which as always is delightful and insightful! But when you asked ‘What are yours?’ after listing your 7 sins (all of which except silence and indifference are mentioned in the article mentioned above) this fake peace plan immediately came to mind to write about because we can no longer afford to be ‘silent’ and ‘indifferent’!!
It's a rotten attempt to start taking over. I'm amazed that Trump is not pretending to. be shocked. And Gaza. His eyes probably gleaming, thinking of all the moey he'llmake turning it into a spa. I really hope there is a hell.
I too read HCR's post. I'm as incensed as you are. Funny, my Letters From an American today had a red warning on it--almost as if SOMEbody doesn't want me reading the TRUTH.
And often the independent jouralists don't turn on, or stop after a few sedonds. Not my favorites, thank goodness. HCR didn't turn on properly yesterday either. It took a while.
Until a few boxes were lost in a move, I consulted a few dictionaries for the fun of words they revealed. My favorite was from 1925.your article stuck a chord. It was lost with my mother’s settlers cook book from before wwii. On another idea, my nephew and his wife just named their precious new girl Abigale and call her Miss Abbey. I thought it might bring a smile.
Agree with your list as well, however looking back to the original list it seems important to include “greed” as that seems to be a big motivator for all of those in power right now. How much greedier can any of them get?
Not sure that even greed explains it. It's almost a curse. Except for the money part, of course. But what's the point of so much money? I don't get it.
Abby, you have such a gift for deepening, expanding, inspiring.. you begin with something seemingly mundane and I think where is this going, and then wow you just take it to a place I couldn't have expected , or other places really and it's just so rich.
Brilliant Abby, thank you! But your post cost me $40 because I had to buy the book to keep up with my love of words. And I also bought the 2-letter word scrabble dictionary but don't think that counts.
I, too, have been awake since well before dawn talking and texting with a friend whose beloved cat is dying. Your thoughts on sin suggest to me that losing sleep may be an absolution of sorts for one or more of my "venial" sins (Baltimore Catechism)!
Very interesting and thought provoking. You always manage to intrigue me about life in general. I have to ponder and savor this one for a bit. Thank you once again!
From one lover of words to another - this is now my very favorite of your posts. I have been a collector of words all my life, since my Dad taught me about words when I was very small. When I asked him what a word meant, he'd say, "What does it feel like in your mouth? What shape is it? What does it taste like? Can you think what it means by how it feels or how it sounds?" I adored those conversations with my Dad, and I think of them often when I encounter a new words or an old favorite. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. ❤️
What a wonderful father you had! All those ways to taste and feel a word before learning the meaning. It must enrich the definition. My father was curious about the roots of words, and that's where I got the bug. Thank you very much for your kind words. I am preening. ( Now I have to look up preen. "salve," " anoint.")
I did indeed, and luckily for me, because he was the balm to my mother's narcissistic abuse. I lost him when I was only 16, but I'm so grateful I had him. How does "preen" feel in your mouth? Preen away. 😂😘
I was preening, but then I forgot. Now I'm preening again.
😊❤️
I'm so sorry your father died when you were so young. Sorry about your mother, too. How hard your young life must have been.
Oh, Abigail. It was very hard for a long time, but death and loss have been a strong thread in my life for a long, long time, and I have learned to be grateful for my Dad and all the others, and to try to live in a way that honors who they were in my life. I hope this isn't too personal, but I am writing a memoir about the 14 months my 23 year old daughter, Amy and I walked her last path together. It's not a grief and loss memoir, I want it to be something entirely different - the story of how we did it together, and how I broke the cycle of abuse (which, of course, was a cycle that haunted my mother's family for generations, and which she didn't know how to break) It was a privilege and joy to walk with Amy and to get to know her in a way I don't think many parents get to know their children - as individuals separate from familial roles. So many gifts in that time. I'll stop now, only just to say that one of the reasons your posts resonate so with me is your own strong and unique voice. Thank you for that! xx
This sounds like a hard journey that ended in love and understanding, Michal. You are courageous, and we will be the stronger for reading what you write.
First: your writing is lovely, like a Japanese brush painting that shows a world with a few strokes. Thank you.
As I read, I felt grateful for my childhood: my mom and dad, an atheist and an agnostic, never brought the idea of “sin” into our upbringing.
We were taught good and evil; that it’s bad to hurt others, yourself, your society, or the planet, and that it’s good to do as much as you can to help and support yourself, others, your society and the planet.
We were taught that we would encounter difficult moral decisions involving competing goods or greater and lesser evils, and they encouraged us to think deeply and always try to choose the greatest good and/or the least evil.
I found and find all of this much easier and less fraught to consider without the overlay of religion that the idea of “sin” brings in…
We didn't have a religious upbringing either, thank the lord. I can't name what I believe in, but I have faith in something that might keep the beauty and the living creatures and green of this planet going after it has shrugged us off. Or maybe I ought to say before we have shrugged ourselves off. I loove that your parents left it up to you, trusting you.
Right? Me too.
And I’ve ended in the same belief/faith place as you, I think. Having done meditation for 50+ years, it seems to me there’s a pure, lovely energy animating everything.
Oh yes, very much so. Like the Dalai Lama, my religion is kindness. I have had 2 bumper stickers on my car. First, in the early early 70s " Are you kind" and more recently the car I drove to and parked in the Clergy only spot at the churches I served "God is genderless" and so may it be.
I wish it would animate a few more human beings. The ones with too much money.
😏
Your last sentence was gold
Thank you very much. So nice of you.
Yup. that’s my favorite sentence in the piece! I’m also glad that someone else was awake in the wee hours, too. And I’ve been looking for a better source of the origins of words and now I think I found one thanks to Abigail.
It's a great dictionary!!
The type is really tiny. and I gave my magnifying glass to somebody who needed it. now I need a new one.
I think your mind goes in similar directions as mine, which wanders a lot these days. I really like you revised seven deadly sins, most of which the White House guy is guilty of -- at least seven times a zillion or more times over. You are the best, Abigail!
Thank you, John. That means a lot to me.
I just read Heather Cox Richardson for Nov 21, and the 28 point ‘peace’ plan for Ukraine devised by the fake orange haired chip head and Russia is a true SIN-despicable, deplorable, devastating and deceitful, not to mention outright cruel. My heart is breaking from the ghastliness of this sin against a brave and courageous people.
Which is a much darker note Abigail than your post, which as always is delightful and insightful! But when you asked ‘What are yours?’ after listing your 7 sins (all of which except silence and indifference are mentioned in the article mentioned above) this fake peace plan immediately came to mind to write about because we can no longer afford to be ‘silent’ and ‘indifferent’!!
It's a rotten attempt to start taking over. I'm amazed that Trump is not pretending to. be shocked. And Gaza. His eyes probably gleaming, thinking of all the moey he'llmake turning it into a spa. I really hope there is a hell.
I too read HCR's post. I'm as incensed as you are. Funny, my Letters From an American today had a red warning on it--almost as if SOMEbody doesn't want me reading the TRUTH.
And often the independent jouralists don't turn on, or stop after a few sedonds. Not my favorites, thank goodness. HCR didn't turn on properly yesterday either. It took a while.
Cruelty, I’m sure is the root in the heart.
Thank you for this.
Yes, cruel. First and earliest root, "raw flesh."
Sort of perfect.
Thank you.
Until a few boxes were lost in a move, I consulted a few dictionaries for the fun of words they revealed. My favorite was from 1925.your article stuck a chord. It was lost with my mother’s settlers cook book from before wwii. On another idea, my nephew and his wife just named their precious new girl Abigale and call her Miss Abbey. I thought it might bring a smile.
It certainly does, yes. Thank you.
Agree with your list as well, however looking back to the original list it seems important to include “greed” as that seems to be a big motivator for all of those in power right now. How much greedier can any of them get?
Not sure that even greed explains it. It's almost a curse. Except for the money part, of course. But what's the point of so much money? I don't get it.
Nor do I - it's also very true that money does not buy happiness. Big egos - bottomless pits of desire to control others.
Probably. Nothing good.
Abby, you have such a gift for deepening, expanding, inspiring.. you begin with something seemingly mundane and I think where is this going, and then wow you just take it to a place I couldn't have expected , or other places really and it's just so rich.
Adah, thank you. Love to you.
When someone is indifferent to you, it is the most cruel of instruments, and I think often utilized unintentionally.
Thank you for your early morning thoughts.
Uninitentionally is almost worse. Love you, Georgetta.
Much. Love you too, Abby.
What an unslothful way to deal with insomnia! Delightful! Thank you!
Oh! Thank you. Three in the morning is oddly stimulating.
Brilliant Abby, thank you! But your post cost me $40 because I had to buy the book to keep up with my love of words. And I also bought the 2-letter word scrabble dictionary but don't think that counts.
You are going to be so excited and happy! (The root of happy is so very interesting.) Thank you very much.
In other news: My kid Jane is engaged! I also often hear you say, "Have a kid."
I AM SO HAPPY FOR ALL OF YOU!!!
Thanks!!!
I, too, have been awake since well before dawn talking and texting with a friend whose beloved cat is dying. Your thoughts on sin suggest to me that losing sleep may be an absolution of sorts for one or more of my "venial" sins (Baltimore Catechism)!
Funny, that's what I was hoping too. I'm sorry for your friend. What a good friend you are.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - you are the queen of the killer last line. Wow. ♡
You’re the only author whose words I can read on repeat and still pick up tidbits that I love even more than the first go-around.
Very interesting and thought provoking. You always manage to intrigue me about life in general. I have to ponder and savor this one for a bit. Thank you once again!
Thank you, Kathy. So kind of you to say.