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I couldn't put it off any longer. My students chose their One Little Words yesterday, and I was still procrastinating.
I almost settled on BALANCE, but this word is one I am constantly working towards already. (Constantly, in fact.)
Then I went on a brainstorming spree: bellicose (too negative), cheer (hmm...possibility), levitate, float, informed. Then I got grumpy: hibernate, eschew, shirk. I tried chickadee, puzzle, curious, inquire, ask, design (hmm...possibility), stretch, change, barter.
Suddenly, my word found me:
BEND
Bend. It tells me to be flexible, reminds me not to break. It shows me a curving road with an unknowable ending, a journey, and it beckons me forward. If it is my teaching, I think of it as to mold or shape. If it is my poetry, photography, and art, I bend my efforts toward the creative. A bend is a kind of knot that connects two ropes, so I can feel a tightening of connections with this word. Last of all, it's a warning to me not to go in too deep -- divers get the bends, you know!
Oh, Mary Lee, what a great word! Learning to bend is a lesson we all need. I think I have chosen my word, but I want to live with it a few more days before I commit to it. : )
ReplyDeletePerfect, Mary Lee! May it bring you the peace and balance you're looking for.
ReplyDeleteIt's the be-all and end-all of words!
ReplyDeleteYour grumpy words made me laugh! Wouldn't it be funny, actually, to pick one like that! ;-) I love BEND - so many possibilities!
ReplyDeleteGreat word to use to practice acceptance and mindfulness!
ReplyDeleteLove. Bend is something you already do a lot, but what a lovely thing to focus on.
ReplyDeleteLike Holly, I got a kick out of your grumpy words. Shirk!
ReplyDelete"Bend" is terrific. Glad you found just the right word.
Inspiring! Mine is Open.
ReplyDeleteI love your word. Isn't great to find a word to guide you through the year?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great word! It makes me think of "Birches" by Robert Frost or Gumby (are you old enough to remember him?). I hope you do lots of swinging from the branches this year.
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