Passions

I’m passionate about words. How each word consists of letters in a sequence that, when the order is correct, conjures an image in ones mind like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a top hat. I love that they have a history, and I’m not referring to their etymology. I’m talking about the personal meaning of a word to each person. Take “hippopotamus,” a word according to the OED that means “a large thick-skinned semiaquatic African mammal, with massive jaws and large tusk.” But when I hear “hippo,” I start to sing the ludicrous carol about a little girl wanting one for Christmas. A water-wallowing beast fitting down the flue—imagine that! Absolute madness.

Words are powerful stuff. Four letters spell the difference between love and hate. They have the power to give hope, declare war, and to celebrate Christmas on a blazing summer afternoon.