"Look at the leaf tickling Daddy's window," uttered my two and a half year old in awe, from her carseat in the back seat, as an old brown leaf from somewhere drifted out of the sky and danced along the passenger side window. Speechless I wondered, is that how she views it - as 'tickling' the glass? Wow. Words, words, wonderful words...it could have just been 'falling' or 'scraping' or 'dropping' but no, she chose 'tickling'.
Having just finished reading a section of Diana Butler Bass's book A People's History of Christianity where Butler Bass discusses the impact of Johannes Gutenberg's 1440 printing press invention on the "average person", I am perhaps paying closer attention to language. "In many ways the sixteenth century was an extended argument over words - the meaning of words, whose words had the greatest power, the role of words in faith, and the political impact of words" (p.157) Add in something about texting and smiley faces :) and it could well be describing contemporary times!?! Words, words, wonderful words...
While in Fiji doing an archaeological dig (student-loan-approved credits - no kidding), a fellow sun worshipper...I mean, scholar...asked what our "very favourite-ist of words" was? I'd never considered it before...so many from which to choose. Hers? I will never forget. She leaned forward, all skinny and tanned, and in a vivacious lilt rolled her tongue about her full lips while pronouncing "spatula". She made it sound confidently naughty (and to be honest I still have yet to look at one without blushing). Words, word, wonderful words...
And what would YOUR "very favourite-ist of words" be? Perhaps exiting the kitchen area with its many practical tools may just prove to be a better idea when it comes to finding one of my own? (I wouldn't want a spatula to jump up and tickle me after all...)
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