Anyone who knows me also knows that I love words. They make
me think through their many layers and shades of meaning to get down to the true definition. I also love it when I learn a
new word and it seems to pop up everywhere. (Does that happen to anyone else?)
I like knowing what words mean and understanding the nuances that make even synonyms
different so that I can pick just the right one each time. I was the kid who wrote English and History papers with both the dictionary and the thesaurus perched on my desk, ready to provide assistance. Scrabble and Boggle
are two of my favorite games and I relish in finding a big word that scores mega
points. This post however, is about a small word, because the little ones
deserve some attention, too.
Ladies and Gentlemen, today’s word of the day is: Was
The
word WAS gets used everyday, probably by everyone, in many different contexts.
It can recall any emotion or memory: regret, happiness, sorrow, excitement, longing.
If it happened in the past, then WAS is there when we talk about it in the
present. WAS is an itty, bitty word that most people probably don’t even think
about using. I know I never did. I recently realized, though, how beautiful and
powerful WAS can be. As we were getting ready for bed and talking about the
day, I said to my husband, “I felt a little bit woozy for a moment today, but
not like when I WAS sick. After I ate something I felt fine.” (No, I am not
pregnant.) It occurred to me that I hadn’t really referred to the past year as
a WAS.
Twelve months ago I WAS not feeling that great and I could
not figure out why, nine months ago I WAS feeling terrible and some days passed
in a blur, and six months ago I started to feel so much better thanks to a
major overhaul of my diet. The past six months have been both a challenge and a
blessing. There have been really aggravating moments when I wondered if I would
ever get to the bottom of the “What’s wrong with me?” question. There were also
moments when I surprised myself by finding that I did not think about my health
at all because I felt good. I became even more patient and more sympathetic to
others with ailments and I learned, again, that it is okay to take time to care
for myself. To keep it all in perspective, I reminded myself that so many people suffer far more intense health problems than I did. Now, I am utterly thankful that, all things considered, I am very
healthy. My supportive family and friends who love me and pray for me make me
constantly aware of how lucky I am.
I married Drew a few days past one year from the time I
started feeling unwell. As frustrating as the prior year had been, I got
through it day in and day out, largely because of his unwavering love and
encouragement. How many men are willing to dive into gluten free, sugar free,
yeast free, dairy free cooking? (Praise the Lord, most of that food is back in
my diet, to one degree or another.) Because of him, our wedding vows meant so much on our special
day and I barely made it through “in sickness and in health” without bursting
into tears. Today, I feel like a different person than who I WAS one year
ago. God willing, I will continue to feel this way. WAS has the power to put
something in the past. It is a subtle word, one that I am blessed to say passed
through my lips with ease.
And since this has been stuck in my head the entire time I
WAS writing this:
Fuzzy Wuzzy WAS a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy
WASN’T very fuzzy. WAS he?
