Cheer
The December assignment for the Story Circle Creating Writing Class in Safety Harbor, Florida is to write on “What gives you cheer?” I always look forward to these assigned topics because they present a different challenge than my usual daily blog. The subjects or goal of the daily blog is generally triggered by an experience, concern or internal struggle. When I write on an assigned topic I often have to stop and be quiet with the topic or the word until my internal search engine reviews the history of my relationship with the topic, word or concept.
Etymologist seems to agree that the word cheer in Old French – chiere; late Latin – cara; or Greek –kara, referred to head and then more specifically to face. Eventually it referred to one’s mood or the act of encouraging others. Thus, one might hold up a drink glass and say “cheers” or one might say “be of good cheer” One might also say “You are looking particularly cheerful today.” If one asks what brings one cheer one is basically asking what brings one joy or what envelops one in happiness.
It is difficult for me to call up one event or situation which has been the most cheerful or joyful. I am blessed to be a person who seems to have a strong sense of home. I can experience a sense of home – of comfort, joy, belonging – when I greet my cousins the spring flowers. The first blossoms of the spring which might be a delicate crocus, the blanket of yellow which cover the forsythias bushes, the first smell of spring, the rich aroma of a working farm with farm animals, the birth of my son, some success of my son, the light of the epiphany which will allow a recovering addict to make a new choice, a photo of a couple I know who are now in Jamaica on their honeymoon, seeing someone at the grocery store I have not seen for some time, a work of art which wraps its arms around me so tightly that I disappear into it, my first wife serenading me with her beautiful voice as she accompanied herself on the piano, a touching scene in a novel or short story, or an aria in an opera sung from the depths of one’s soul brings me cheer.
What brings me cheer? Opening myself to the beauty of being present with all of creation in whatever forms it arrives is what brings that lightness of being; that space where one does not have to work at being oneself, but allows oneself to be. In this place joy and laughter spill out to cover the holiday table with dancing, playful beams of light.
459 words
Jimmy F. Pickett
The December assignment for the Story Circle Creating Writing Class in Safety Harbor, Florida is to write on “What gives you cheer?” I always look forward to these assigned topics because they present a different challenge than my usual daily blog. The subjects or goal of the daily blog is generally triggered by an experience, concern or internal struggle. When I write on an assigned topic I often have to stop and be quiet with the topic or the word until my internal search engine reviews the history of my relationship with the topic, word or concept.
Etymologist seems to agree that the word cheer in Old French – chiere; late Latin – cara; or Greek –kara, referred to head and then more specifically to face. Eventually it referred to one’s mood or the act of encouraging others. Thus, one might hold up a drink glass and say “cheers” or one might say “be of good cheer” One might also say “You are looking particularly cheerful today.” If one asks what brings one cheer one is basically asking what brings one joy or what envelops one in happiness.
It is difficult for me to call up one event or situation which has been the most cheerful or joyful. I am blessed to be a person who seems to have a strong sense of home. I can experience a sense of home – of comfort, joy, belonging – when I greet my cousins the spring flowers. The first blossoms of the spring which might be a delicate crocus, the blanket of yellow which cover the forsythias bushes, the first smell of spring, the rich aroma of a working farm with farm animals, the birth of my son, some success of my son, the light of the epiphany which will allow a recovering addict to make a new choice, a photo of a couple I know who are now in Jamaica on their honeymoon, seeing someone at the grocery store I have not seen for some time, a work of art which wraps its arms around me so tightly that I disappear into it, my first wife serenading me with her beautiful voice as she accompanied herself on the piano, a touching scene in a novel or short story, or an aria in an opera sung from the depths of one’s soul brings me cheer.
What brings me cheer? Opening myself to the beauty of being present with all of creation in whatever forms it arrives is what brings that lightness of being; that space where one does not have to work at being oneself, but allows oneself to be. In this place joy and laughter spill out to cover the holiday table with dancing, playful beams of light.
459 words
Jimmy F. Pickett
RSS Feed