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A Chicago area girl born and bred, I've lived in Mississippi, Montana, Michigan, and...ten years in the wilds of northeastern Indiana, where I fought the noble fight as a book editor. Now, I'm back in Illinois once more...for good. (At least I intend to make it that way!)

Monday, January 02, 2012

You Have a "Word" for the Year? REALLY?

OK...I know you mean well. Or at least I hope you do.
Really. 


But seriously...all those of you out there who are choosing your "word" for the year?
As if it's a talisman?
As if it's something God gave you personally to inspire you for the next 365+ days?
As if it's some kind of New Age "charm" you're going to chant to yourself like a mantra?
As if it's not the most meaningless bit of fluffy, self-indulgent nonsense on the planet? 


Trust me. It doesn't matter one whit what your word for the year is.


Talking about it as if it matters--as if there's some secret code that certain of you share, spoken in a clubhouse in which a bunch of you gather once a year and choose "words" to stand for your entire year ahead...


Well, there's only one word for that whole mystifying and, I must admit, annoying process.
And that word is...PRETENTIOUS.
(I'd say "pretentious as hell," but that's THREE words.)


You're not getting anointed words from above, folks. God's done that already. It's called Scripture. Unless you're writing that, the whole assertion that "God" is giving you "a word for the year" as some kind of prophetic "message" borders on the sacrilegious. And that's not a border I'm eager to walk any time soon.


I'm surprised at all the people who are.


"Word" up, people. Words for the year? Sorry. Not good ideas. Unless, of course, you're willing to embrace the rest of the borderline-New-Age philosophy that getting a "key word" upon which to "meditate" implies...or imply that you're getting some kind of "code messages" from God.


Either way? I ain't standing next to you in the next lightning storm.
And you can take THAT word to the bank.


Thoughts?
Janny

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