favorite words

feign. murmur. padded. random words that I've found in nearly ever adult fiction book I've read this summer and I've read over 20 books. I think these are the top three favorites for authors to use. Or maybe it's a requirement for a ny bestseller listed title.


these words capture human emotion; feign, as in "I am only pretending to go along with you." murmur, as in a "subtle reply from a character ranging from agreement to listening" padded, as in, "she padded across the living room floor barefoot."

favorite words have a way of communicating so articulately, accurately a picture the words seek to portray.

The third partner

When I got married, I saw my prayers come true. I prayed for a man that loved God and loved me and I got one. For seventeen years, we have hung together; clinging through the tough times, celebrating the good times, laughing at our journey, and crying at our mistakes. We have very few, if any, regrets. Married young, we grew up together. From college students to grad students to 9 to 5 jobs to careers. From being married with no kids to married with three kids and a dog. As I sit on the eve on another surgery, I see that our marriage had a third partner all these years. The partner of pain. Loving someone with chronic pain is a contract I made the day I wed. It started with an injury, compounded by heredity, saddled with life's stressors and here we are, looking into number ten and wondering if this will set free the unwanted third partner. Living with pain teaches grace and perspective, contentment in the little things and being real. It also brings in crabby, sleep deprived frustrations. This next surgery has the potential to be life changing, altering forever the rhythm we've grown accustomed to. We are ready.

What does quiet sound like?

Have you ever noticed how loud our lives are? I began to think about this recently. I mused about what quiet sounds like. Sure, we talk about inside voices. "Kids, we are going inside, so talk with your inside voices." Sacred places like libraries have a reputation for quiet. But, have you noticed a library isn't very quiet either. Night time can be really loud too. Between the occasional car passing on the road, to the neighbors up late; from the crickets to the random bird flying by, even night time is loud. And the cemetery, too, can be a very loud place. The wind stirs the leaves, the lawn mower drones on and on.....

How close is quiet to stillness? Are they connected? Is is possible to drink in quiet when your soul is still? So much of what makes success is in the state of mind, the focus of our thinking. Do you crave quiet? Maybe it's time to find a stillness in your soul.