A New Word

Feckless.
I just heard this word for the first time.
What a great word. I just like the way it sounds. Feckless. Feckless. Feckless. It's a strong word. When you say it out loud, it's one of those words you can really have fun with! So, of course, I went right to my iPad dictionary app to learn the meaning of the word feckless:
Adjective 
1-ineffective; incompetent; futile: feckless attempts to repair the plumbing.
2-having no sense of responsibility; indifferent; lazy.

ORIGIN1590–1600; orig. Scots, equiv. to feck, late ME (Scots) fek, aph. form of effeck (Scots form of effect) + -less

So I got this word when I watched the Republican presidential debate last night. Being a New Hampshire resident, I feel a responsibility to live up to the "first in the nation" label. Ha ha! I Gotcha! No, this is not me blogging about politics. I would never use my Shalom Babayit for that kind of forum! It's the WORDS! Once again, it's all about the power of those words!

Words of Passion stir up feelings in others. Words of Knowledge  educate others. Words of Experience demonstrate leadership.

Here in my comfy chair, I find it most important at this point in my illness to stay alert and aware of current events. I am trying to keep my finger on the pulse of the world. I'm not a smart person. I'm not savvy, definitely not worldly. I'm just a content wife and mother. But I do like a good story. I do so enjoy listening to people. I want to learn. I like to hear about adventures, both of the worldly-been-there kind and of the contemplative-thinking kind. So I feel I must stay aware of my surroundings to be a worthy recipient. 
I  do, however, still feel the need to censor all the news that bombards me on a daily basis. My Mom used to say "he has his head in the sand" when referring to my grandfather whom she felt was hiding from reality. I don't want to hide, but it is sometimes necessary to protect myself. Maybe that is what my Zadie was doing. Is that really a bad thing? Stay aware, but hold the remote control-flicker of life close at hand so that I can change the channel if I want to.

My Dad used to say "the ears don't hear what the mouth is saying" in reference to people who just like to talk without any substance to back up their words. I don't want to be that way. While I don't plan on becoming an expert on anything, I just want to learn new information to avoid ignorance.          

 My son is 24 years old. He sat with me and we listened to the debate together. We heard the words as they came together to form a basis of discussion for mother and son. He knows stuff. I asked HIM questions! Oh, the words of youth. Some say "Youth is so wasted on the young". But is it really? We cry "Oh to be young again!" as we, the elders, insist our children listen to our words of experience. Stop. Listen. The words of youth are quite surprising. I learn stuff about technology, modern culture, money, geography, weather, and more!  In turn, I am allowed to exchange my own words. Those words of wisdom and experience. That kind of exchange nurtures a respect.

Hopefully, the word feckless is not one that will be used to describe me. We all want to leave our mark on the world. I just want to leave behind happy and fond memories. I just want people to enjoy being with me here in my Shlalom Babyit, sitting here with me in my comfy chair.