WORDS

Serendipity - there's a lovely word. I remember Jug Suraiya returning from a year in the Uk and writing the most poignant and lyrical article for the JS with that as its title. It was the first time I had met the word and it remained cached in my word box waiting for the right moment to be delivered.

And then Radio 4 had to spoil things - Britain's Favourite Word was - yes you've guessed - serendipity. To add insult  to injury it was the title of a rom com ! Starring John  Cusack who I rather like. Suddenly my lovely  secret  word was common parlance and my word  box both barren and obsolete.

The picture above renews my hope in the romance of the word and I found that to change it to serendipitous returns some of the old glamour. My word box can heave a sigh of relief

Another joyous word to throw into a conversation is epiphany - all too often people think you are talking about God and back away whilst others summon the courage to ask if it hurt and were there many stitches. Epiphany sounds bright and shiny and, when one is lucky enough to have one the clarity is overwhelming. I say lucky but many have dark epiphanies too - and they can be destructive with their clarity.

So my word box continues to grow - sometimes now with words and new constructions of words that I  feel confident enough to use in everyday life, For example to flabber my ghast has far more power than the overused flabbergasted. I have an author, Jane Duncan to thank for that one. My favourite at the moment - serenity - much needed and it had sound that is almost onmatopoieaic with the sibilant s and the shortened es and is and then ending with the elongated e sound of the final y.

The Great Zoo and Other Poems (English and Spanish Edition)