Thursday, January 16, 2014

Day 16, January 16

Upon learning that of my theme "Joy in the Journey" for 2014's blog, a dear friend, Jim Franckum, wrote the following:

"A few years ago I discovered a brand new way to look at words we commonly use to describe intangible concepts like joy, faith, love, hope, etc. My discovery was that these words really had no precise meaning because they were just new words that "someone made up" when a traditional word was inadequate! For example, we sometimes discuss in Sunday School a question like, "what is faith," as if we can uncover the one specific and correct definition. It could be so, but I find it interesting instead to wonder more about what previously unfelt experiences someone might have had that required them to invent a word like "faith?" Even so, we seem to communicate pretty well in spite of using phrases like "I have faith" assuming others interpret that with the same precision as if we say "I have bloody nose."

"Regarding joy, I imagine ages ago in every culture people had discussions where they said, "Wow, I feel really good right now but that's not a proper description ... And I'm feeling more than just happy ... We need a new word ... let's call it - JOY!" And so they did. And I've felt it many times myself, usually with family or observing nature. And there was one very fleeting instant in my life several years ago where for 1-2 seconds I felt extreme super super (keep adding "supers") joy .... But I haven't discovered or made up the right word for that unique sensation yet!"

Joy for the day:  the wisdom of a friend.

2 comments:

  1. I do too! "I have a bloody nose" is pretty precise. We all understand that! I like words that sound like what they are. Murky. Soft. Crystal. Murmur. I wonder if when can all speak Adamic again if more words will be like that.

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