A Year in Words

Several years ago my friend Joanne told me that she shares a special New Year's tradition with her mom and sister. They each select a "Word of the Year" and tell why it was chosen.  What a great idea for someone who loves words; someone like me . . . so, I tried it out for myself.  The first year I selected the word "Wonder" (the noun).  I like the sound and feel of it; having that child-like curiosity . . . astonishment.  By definition, it is, "a feeling of surprise . . . caused by something beautiful, unexpected or inexplicable."  It was fun to interject "wonder" into my dialogue that year.  But as with most New Year's beginnings, usage waned with each passing month.

So here I am in the final days of 2016, the year of "surreal" according to Merriam Webster, needing to select my new word.  I am in a bit of a quandary with so many good words out there.  I could take the predictable route and pick from the most "looked-up" words like ubiquitous, cynical or integrity.  The edgy, new, slang words according to MTV.com list "savage" as number one, with "woke" and "lit" among the top ten.  Call me boring, but I am going to give "connect" the distinction of being my Word of the Year.  It's a solid verb and it defines much of what I do and who I am.  Hmmm . . . I wonder how I will connect in 2017?

Since we are on the subject of words, I will leave you with a brief list of some of the best books I have read this past year:

• Einstein's God, Conversations about Science and the Human Spirit by Krista Tippett

This book is a compilation of significant conversations that Krista had on her weekly NPR program "Speaking of Faith" (now "On Being).  And I quote her, "How we ask the questions affects the answers we arrive at."  This year she released another book, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living.  I recently purchased it and am saving it for a good January read!

• David and Goliath, Underdogs, Misfits, and The Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

This is the second Gladwell book that I have read and am a big fan.  He has a remarkable way of distilling a concept or belief.  I read Outliers: The Story of Success several years ago and still quote the observation about "10,000 hours."  Good read!

• The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

I read this in the weeks leading up to the Olympics this past summer.  What an inspiration!  It is the story of nine American oarsmen and their epic quest for "gold" at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  So many life lessons in this book . . . a must read for anyone that is a part of a team!  So here's a bit of inspiration to leave you with, "If there was little they could do individually to turn the situation around, perhaps there was something they could do collectively.  Perhaps the seeds of redemption lay not just in perseverance, hard work, ad rugged individualism.  Perhaps they lay in something more fundamental -- the simple notion of everyone pitching in and pulling together."

So this is the part where I usually insert a recipe, but this week I am using up left-overs, cleaning out the fridge and getting ready for a more healthy diet once again.  I will return in January with some wit, and maybe even some wisdom, on the third Thursday, the 19th, and intend to continue this monthly until next November ;)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:1

Lord of all Creation,

What a gift that we have Your holy and living word through scripture in the Bible.  Thank you Lord for communicating to us in such a profound way!  We cherish your words and the gift of language that we so uniquely possess.  Help us Lord in the coming year to speak words that extend peace, compassion, understanding and love.  In Jesus name we pray.