I like words. I use a thesaurus. Words are expressive. Words trigger
thoughts and tell stories in and of themselves.
Recently, I’ve seen two words which are normally nouns turned into
verbs; a thing became an action. Cool concept, right?
A little awkward to say: neighboring - storying
Common words – neighbor and story – were given an “ing” suffix.
Instantly, they took on a new life. No longer was a neighbor just a person, it
was an action, a way of relating to those who surround us. It implies presence,
friendliness and hospitality. Neighboring requires something, the giving of a
part of us. (See full article about “Neighboring” at Relevant Magazine)
Storying took neighboring to a different place. Movement was attached
to the telling. It was used in relation to sharing about God with people living
on Lake Victoria in Africa. Stories were put in context of the culture and
given hands and feet.
I guess what I respond to in both words is they beg for my participation
and presence.
How often do I walk around oblivious, giving a little head nod,
but not really caring? Quite frankly, probably too often which flies in the
face of wanting to notice, be aware and mindful of where I am, who I’m with and
my culture in general. It’s easier to say, “I’ll do it when I find the time,”
or “Someone has that covered.” But maybe time is never found and someone else
is preoccupied too.
It’s not easy to add an “ing” to our lives.
Straight up, it can be
messy and uncomfortable, especially for a person who is mostly introverted when
out of her comfort sector. You see, interaction is unscripted. You can’t plan
responses and reactions or even be guaranteed of a reply at all.
So, what’s a person to do? Try. Try adding an “ing” to some aspect of life.
Just one aspect. See how it goes. It’ll probably be better than you think.
Working on adding an “ing” -
Missy
If you have been mildly amused, challenged or inspired by what you
have read, please pass on my blog to a friend, colleague, family member or even
random acquaintance
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