Savoring Words

My last semester in college I waitressed at a Mexican restaurant called El Sombrero. One afternoon, while sweeping up the detritus of the lunch crowd, a professorial, pony-tailed gentleman at my lone table requested more water. I filled his glass, cleared his plate and before giving him the check asked “Will the water suffice, or would you like something else?”

He looked me directly in the eyes, put his head back, chuckled and said “Suffice, suffice, suffice. I have not heard that word in a while. And you know, I miss it. Thank you for reminding me of my loss.”

We smiled at each other, gave a gentle nod, and enjoyed the momentary intersection of a shared love….words.

Lately the word savor is on my IPOD playlist of words. I love the word. It appeals to all my faculties; a total sensory emersion. Whenever I taste new dishes, take in beautiful sights, or enjoy tranquil moments; savor is on my mind. Fun to say, the word can roll off the tongue or be drawn out while slowly enunciating, declaring something as sav---ory.

Anathema is another word I have recently been declaring. I overheard it in conversation the other day and realized this darkly descriptive word had gone missing from my life. This word means business; it can mean an abhorrence, loathing, or denunciation. If you really dislike something bring this word up from the back of your throat in a guttural tone to set everyone straight. It just reeks be gone, be gone, whatever you or it is.

Viewing the dumbed down vocabulary of newscasters, pop culture icons, and our own simplistic text conversations, I realize why the absence of incredible words is causing me distress. We are taking dressy, spirited, elegant, sometimes formal words and substituting, diet words of less substance; light and lazy, with no weight.

This attack on our language is anathema. I abhor it, I denounce it, and I want to see the return of high calorie words to savor, to relish, and to enjoy.