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A word on words

This is a break from the story. I will return soon to the story, so never fear.

I like words. I collect them as some people collect stamps or coins or Barbies. Some words are great because they make me sound smart. Others are great because of the way they roll of one's tongue. Still others are perfect because they succinctly (a great word in and of itself!) and accurately apply to a given situation or desire. Then there are words that are just simply amazing words.

The first word for this post is "vicissitude". One of my favorite things to do when I explore words is look at the etymology (great word!) of the word. In this case, vicissitude comes from Latin "vicus" meaning change. Thus, vicissitude means something that is changing and changeable. Miriam Webster notes that it is "a difficulty or hardship attendant on a way of life, a career, or a course of action...". Life is full of these changes. Some of these are within our control. Others are not. They are usually not able to be understood by those who are involved with the changes. But the fact that these vicissitudes come to us universally makes us unhappy, disoriented, and frustrated. That does not change the fact that these changes will come. It is a truism that the only constant is change. It is also true that one cannot step into the same stream twice - both the person stepping and the stream entered have changed.

The next word is "ubiquitous". Ubiquitous means widespread or everywhere and at the same time and therefore unavoidable. This leads me to the idea that vicissitudes are ubiquitous.

The last word for today is "morose". This word indicates a condition of sadness or gloom or depression. Some of these ubiquitous vicissitudes leave me morose. They are not what I wanted - or what I thought I wanted. But I cannot escape them; I can only endure. There is no other choice - some things must simply be endured.

There is One who will be obeyed. There is One who must be heeded and respected. There is One to whom we owe all allegiance and deference.

I know that I have caused - through my actions and reactions to these vicissitudes - a great deal of pain to those whom I love. For that, I am sorry. I never intended to cause pain. I have no excuse - I should have known/done better. Please forgive me. I have come to discover that I am weak - weaker than I ever knew. But I have decided to give this weakness to Him who can and will make weak things strong. I have hope in that. I have hope that my Savior can and will save me from myself.

He is the only one who can.

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