Words - An Invitation

Looking back I often regret that I did not take Latin in high school. At the time I thought it was stupid and old fashioned. At 14 or 15 I certainly had no interest in being involved in anything that might be remotely considered old fashioned. The cool kids were not taking Latin and I wanted to be a cool kid. "What's the point of a dead language?" we all said. The value of studying Latin only became apparent to me as an adult. I no longer care if I am cool, hip or da bomb. It's still flattering if someone calls me cool, I'll admit, but it doesn't matter anymore. I am living by my own lights.





The older I get the more I like words and understanding their origins. Endlessly fascinating to me, is researching the Latin, Greek, Old English or other linguistic roots and meanings of a word. Inspired by my friend and wordsmith, Dody, who chooses and uses words in the most spiritual way, I have come to see that unexamined words are like birds in a tree. They fly by me most of the time and I don't really need to bother to identify them, to notice the details of what they really look like. When I get out my binoculars to look closely at the birds I can not only see their species, but I can also observe their behavior thereby making them more meaningful to me. And it can be that way with the words I choose. If I stop for a moment to examine a word at its root I can often use it in a way that is more potent for both reader(or hearer) and me.





Recently, I have been exploring being a catalyst. This word comes from the Greek kata, meaning “down” and lysis or “a loosening.” A catalyst is a person who can break ideas down and loosen up the energy within, thus being an agent for change. The catalyst is the means and vehicle for change, not the change itself. The change is already within the people waiting to be loosened and unleashed.






I am, by nature, a collaborative person. This is especially true when working on projects, creative and otherwise. When I began writing this blog I was thinking of it not only as a way of writing my story, but also as a way of reaching out to others whose lives have not gone the the way they planned. I wanted them and, by extension me, to feel less alone, less odd and less adrift on a sea of uncertainty.






Your feedback has not altered my goal, but rather has suggested that I am on the right track. While the site is mine, (meaning you can't use anything here without my permission and proper attribution), I would like it to also be a place where you can share your Wednesday stories. I hope that I, through this site, can serve as a catalyst for bringing forth your stories, your struggles and your joys as you find your own paths.



Please email me your This Is Wednesday stories at thisiswed@gmail.com