Each year Merriam-Webster — the dictionary word people — declares a “word of the year.” The biggest science story of our time quickly became the biggest debate in our country, and the word at the center of both stories is vaccine — the word of the year. That word was what was hoped for at the beginning of 2021 and has ended with such division. The word vaccine was about much more than medicine in 2021. For many, the word symbolized a possible return to the lives we led before the pandemic.
Merriam-Webster also named a top 10 of other words used often in 2021 and carrying great importance. They were: Insurrection, Perseverance, Woke, Nomad, Infrastructure, Cicada, Murraya (which was the final word in the national spelling bee), Cisgender, Guardian (the new team name for the baseball team in Cleveland), and Meta (Facebook’s name change).
What would you want the 2022 word of the year to be? Can you get out your crystal ball and your dictionary with me and look into the future? If we were to have the power, the wisdom, and the ability to name the 10 words that had the biggest impact on the year 2022, what would be included? What would help you return to life? In everyday use, words are useful tools that communicate assertions, ideas, aspirations, and uncertainties. What makes your list for The Church of the Palms for 2022?
Here are some suggestions: Courage; Revisioning; Perseverance; Justice; Kindness; Proclamation; Laughter — joy; Triple T = time, talent, and treasure; Community; and Worship.
I am interested in the words you would include for us at The Palms and the reasons behind them. How do you bring life to the words? “In the beginning, was the Word.” As we begin 2022, what’s the Word (or words) for The Palms?
Shalom, Paul