How you leave this place...

By Vichara


Leave this “place” the way you found it. This was the mandate that was asked by my old environmental science teacher, Gene McBride back in the 1970’s. While yes this can be accomplished in the literal sense, we will always leave a mark no matter what in a figurative sense. Whatever daily acts that we engage in, we can always pick up after ourselves and leave wherever we have been in pretty much the same way we found it but it how we interact and absorb the world that will leave an indelible impression. The key is of course will the impression you leave be destructive or inspiring. Will it alter the thoughts and actions in a negative way or resolutely uplift those around you and yourself. It is up to you, you have the choice.

malinger • \muh-LING-gur\ • verb
: to pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness (as to avoid duty or work)
Example Sentence:
The beautiful spring weather put Lynn in a mood to malinger, so she called in sick to work and headed to the park.
Did you know?
Do you know someone who always seems to develop an ailment when there's work to be done? Someone who merits an Academy Award for his or her superb simulation of symptoms? Then you know a malingerer. The verb "malinger" comes from the French word "malingre," meaning "sickly," and one who malingers feigns illness. In its earliest uses in the 19th century, "malinger" usually referred to a soldier or sailor pretending to be sick or insane to shirk duty. Later, psychologists began using "malingering" as a clinical term to describe the feigning of illness in avoidance of a duty or for personal gain. Today, "malinger" is used in just about any context in which someone fakes sickness or injury to get out of an undesirable t

Rise above the chaos...

By Vichara


Don’t believe that the meditation process will magically conjure up some spiritual receipt. Within it’s action, the chaos still churns on the outside but the goal is to not let it attach itself. See the chaos as it is and let it go. It’s all impermanent.

eclogue • \ECK-log\ • noun
Example Sentence:
"Be it in the appropriation of the goatherd or shepherd in the pastoral eclogue, or the neatly controlled terraces of the Georgics, the pastoral has always been an idyllicised representation of the rural world...." (John Kinsella, The Literary Review, January 2005)
Did you know?
Although the eclogue first appeared in the Idylls of the Greek poet Theocritus, it was the 10 Eclogues (or Bucolics) of the Roman poet Virgil that gave us the word "eclogue." (The Latin title "Eclogae" literally meant "selections.") The eclogue was popular in the Renaissance and through the 17th century, when less formal eclogues were written. As our example sentence suggests, the eclogue traditionally depicted rural life as free from the complexity and corruption of more citified realms. The poets of the Romantic period rebelled against the artificiality of the older pastoral, and the eclogue fell out of favor. In more modern times, though, the term "eclogue" has been applied to pastoral poems involving the conversations of people other than shepherds, often with heavy doses of irony.

The "line"...

By Vichara


Once the “line” has been drawn it can be seen not as a barrier, but as a demarcation point forward.


jocund • \JAH-kund\ • adjective
: marked by or suggestive of high spirits and lively mirthfulness

Example Sentence:
I had heard that Perry had been in a sour mood lately, so I was surprised and relieved to discover that he was his usual jocund self when he met me for coffee.

Did you know?
Don't let the etymology of "jocund" play tricks on you. The word comes from "jucundus," a Latin word meaning "agreeable" or "delightful," and ultimately from the Latin verb "juvare," meaning "to help." But "jucundus" looks and sounds a bit like "jocus," the Latin word for "joke." These two roots took a lively romp through many centuries together and along the way the lighthearted "jocus" influenced the spelling and meaning of "jucundus," an interaction that eventually produced our Modern English word "jocund" in the 14th century.

Fear...

By Vichara


Perhaps the fear you avoid is the answer you seek, just in disguise.


Philadelphia lawyer • \fill-uh-DELL-fee-uh-LAW-yer\ • noun
: a lawyer knowledgeable in the most minute aspects of the law
Example Sentence:
When they realized that their broker had cozened them to gain fatter commissions, Brad and Julia quickly hired a team of Philadelphia lawyers to comb through their financial contracts and file a lawsuit.
Did you know?
The reputation of the Philadelphia lawyer dates back to the colonial period, when our legal system was in its infancy and lawyers had to be especially astute. Many noted attorneys seem to have hailed from early Philadelphia, and probably no single lawyer is the source of the term, but several have been suggested. Although not strictly a lawyer, Benjamin Franklin is sometimes claimed to have inspired the expression through his cunning in diplomatic negotiations with the British and French. Another possible source is the Scottish-American Philadelphia attorney Andrew Hamilton, who famously got newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger acquitted of libel charges in 1735, paving the way for the principle of freedom of the press in the process.

Beyond the carnival grounds...

By Vichara


There are thing that will obscure our vision in seeing what to do next. Sometime it feels like you are trying to find your way out of a massive “carnival grounds” and every which way another barker is trying to entice you with every step. Our determination to leave is distracted and things become blurry and chaotic. We need to remember that these distractions are representatives of the “attachments” that try to bind us to the delusional things that keep us from leaving the carnival grounds. Beyond the “carnival grounds” there is clearer sense of our existence and we can all get there.

carrefour • \kair-uh-FOOR\ • noun
1 : crossroads
2 : square, plaza

Example Sentence:
“The farmers as a rule preferred the open carrefour for their transactions, despite its inconvenient jostlings and the danger from crossing vehicles….” (Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge)

Did you know?
An interesting thing about "carrefour" is that even though the second half of the word contains the number "four," it is actually the first half of the word that derives from the Latin word for "four." "Carrefour" derives via Middle French from Late Latin "quadrifurcus," an adjective meaning "having four forks," formed by combining Latin "quadri-" ("four") and "furca" ("fork"). "Carrefour" has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It once referred to an intersection of four roads at a single point, but later came to refer to any public square or plaza. "Carfax," a similar word that also derives from "quadrifurcus," can be found in some British place names, such as the primary intersection in the city of Oxford, England.

Wise cultivation...

By Vichara


“The teaching of peace is a natural consequence of the teaching of love” – Leo Tolstoy

Why it’s optimum to have a peaceful nature on the outside, it is imperative and essential to first gain a peaceful attitude within before it can be realized externally. Easier said than done but for the sake of your personal well being, health and mental agility obtaining and cultivating a peaceful nature will take the edges off potentially volatile situations that we could and will arise today.

plenary • \PLEE-nuh-ree\ • adjective
1 : complete in every respect : absolute, unqualified
2 : fully attended or constituted by all entitled to be present

Example Sentence:
The U.S. Congress has plenary power to pass laws regulating immigration and naturalization.

Did you know?
In the 14th century, the monk Robert of Brunne described a situation in which all the knights of King Arthur's Round Table were present at court by writing, "When Arthures court was plener, and alle were comen, fer and ner. . . ." For 200 years, "plener" (also spelled "plenar") served English well for both senses that we reserve for "plenary" today. But we'd borrowed "plener" from Anglo-French, and, although the French had relied on Latin "plenus" ("full") for their word, the revival of interest in the Classics during the English Renaissance led scholars to prefer purer Latin origins. In the 15th century, English speakers turned to Late Latin "plenarius" and came up with "plenary." ("Plenarius" also comes from "plenus," which is the source of our "plenty" and "replenish" as well.

Being cognizant...

By Vichara


The human face can make more than ten thousand expressions. Ten thousand! It is no wonder that human relationships can be like walking through a minefield. We are needed on a daily basis to deal with many people and the myriad of emotions generated. Unless we temper these encounters with patience and compassion we will surely trip up our reactions in these interactions. But given the frenetic energy that is commonly forced upon us we all need to take great pains to elements of this pace down. This will help enable us to recognize the commonalities of expressions shared, the roots of these emotions shared and how we can work together more effectively to resolve differences with yes, Patience and Compassion.

deasil • \DEE-zil\ • adv
: clockwise
Example Sentence:
One pictograph shows a group of warriors dancing deasil around what appears to be a gigantic wild boar speared numerous times.
Did you know?
According to an old custom, you can bring someone good fortune by walking around the person clockwise three times while carrying a torch or candle. In Scottish Gaelic, the word "deiseil" is used for the direction one walks in such a luck-bringing ritual. English speakers modified the spelling to "deasil," and have used the word to describe clockwise motion in a variety of rituals.

The truth...

By Vichara


Keeping a respectable distance from the truth is never a viable option. When a path needed to be taken contains hindrances to making the journey more fruitful, the truth needs to be known. If you were not told about known rough parts of the path, you would not be able to make allowances. If you were not told about the need for additional supplies and provisions, it would put an undue strain on the journey. The truth needs to known. The truth needs to be dealt with. The truth needs to be revealed and dealt with regardless. It is not knowing the complete picture is where the foundation of whatever path, journey or task falls apart. While yes there will be some unseen element it is what is known, the truth, that needs to be used as your guide.

posture • \PAHSS-cher\ • verb
1 : to strike a pose for effect
2 : to assume an artificial or pretended attitude : attitudinize

Example Sentence:
Posturing as pro-worker, he won the support of the trade unions, only to cave in to big business almost the minute he got elected.

Did you know?
Can you guess which of the following come from the same Latin ancestor as "posture"?
A. positive B. impose C. posit D. expose E. oppose
F. component G. dispose H. position I. postpone
We won't put off the answer to our quiz : they all do. The Latin verb "ponere," meaning "to put" or "to place," is the ancestor of numerous English terms, including "posture" and our nine quiz words. The past participle of "ponere" -- "positus" -- gave Latin the noun "positura" (same meaning as the English noun "posture"). That noun passed through Italian and Middle French and was finally adopted by English speakers as "posture" around 1586. The verb "posture" followed later from the noun, finding its place in English around 1645.

The parade...

By Vichara


Again the day breaks and awakens from whatever part of the globe you live in, today’s parade of events. At any given time there are millions of parades, some trumpeting quietly, some acknowledging themselves with the no so subtlety of clanging metal of tanks and bullets. We will all participate in one or more of these parades in a day and join others in celebration and communication of the unfolding events. We are at times drawn into a parade somewhat unwillingly but once we are there we do all have a choice; to follow along with that parade or guide that parade with others in a new direction based in Love, Compassion and Patience.

cupidity • \kyoo-PID-uh-tee\ • noun
1 : inordinate desire for wealth : avarice, greed

2 : strong desire : lust
Example Sentence:
"This time, developing-world economies far from the pinstriped epicentres of mass cupidity are suffering massive collateral damage as the global downturn cuts heavily into demand for their agricultural and resource commodities." (David Olive, The Toronto Star, March 29, 2009)

Did you know?
From its verb "cupere" ("to desire") Latin derived three nouns which have passed with minimal modification into English. "Cupiditas" meant "yearning" and "desire"; English borrowed this as "cupidity," which originally in the 15th century was synonymous with "lust." (The "greed" meaning of "cupidity" developed very soon after this other now-archaic meaning.) Latin "cupido" started out as a near synonym of "cupiditas," but it came to stand for the personification of specifically carnal desire, the counterpart of Greek "eros"; this is the source of our familiar (and rather domesticated) Cupid. A strengthened form of "cupere" -- "concupiscere," meaning "to desire ardently" -- yielded the noun "concupiscentia" in the Late Latin of the Christian church. "Concupiscentia" came specially to denote sexual desire, a meaning reflected in the English version "concupiscence," meaning "sexual desire."

Your choice...

By Vichara


When you get up this morning you have 2 choices. Push play and repeat the day and sleepwalk through it as much as possible or push record and engage, inspire and connect with the world and those that you encounter. So that by the end of the day you have embraced and left an indelible mark around you that will be remembered for what the world not just did for you, but what you did for the world.

scrupulous • \SKROO-pyuh-lus\ • adjective
1 : having moral integrity : acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper
2 : punctiliously exact : painstaking

Example Sentence:
In The House of Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne writes that it would be unseemly for Judge Pyncheon, a man "generally so scrupulous in his attire," to wear a stained shirt to dinner.

Did you know?
"Scrupulous" and its close relative "scruple" ("an ethical consideration") come from the Latin noun "scrupulus," the diminutive of "scrupus." "Scrupus" refers to a sharp stone, so "scrupulus" means "small sharp stone." "Scrupus" retained its literal meaning but eventually also came to be used with the metaphorical meaning "a source of anxiety or uneasiness," the way a sharp pebble in one's shoe would be a source of pain. When the adjective "scrupulous" entered the language in the 15th century, it meant "principled." Now it also commonly means "painstaking" or "careful."

A new direction...

By Vichara


There are days I’m sure that we feel like that fly circling around in front of a windowpane. We can see outside but for some reason it keeps flitting about using the same methodology to try to get out and keeps bumping into the glass. We are much the same way when seeking answers. We keep circling around using methodology that seemed to work before but now for some reason we keep hitting dead ends with no results except frustration. There will be times like this where you will need a new direction. Don’t worry the path has already been given to you, just look.

bludge • \BLUJ\ • verb, chiefly Australia & New Zealand
1 : to avoid work or responsibility
2 : to get something from or live on another by imposing on hospitality or good nature : sponge

Example Sentence:
"If I want to go to Rotto, I’ll catch the ferry or bludge a ride on the new boat of one of my commodity-boomed nouveau riche friends." (Phil Haberland, The [Perth, Australia] Guardian Express, March 6, 2007)

Did you know?
Though they can be annoying, people who bludge -- bludgers -- are relatively harmless. On the other hand, a bully armed with a bludgeon -- a "bludgeoner" -- can cause serious harm. In the 19th century, "bludgeoner" was shortened to "bludger" and used as a slang word for "pimp." That "bludger" was certainly a kind of bully, one apparently willing to wield a bludgeon now and then to insure his livelihood. In the early 20th century, "bludge" became the verb for what a bludger does. By then, a somewhat softened "bludger" had appeared in Australia and New Zealand: the pimping and the bullying were eliminated, and the parasitical tendencies reduced to mere cadging or sponging.

Just 5 minutes...

By Vichara


Don’t go anywhere for 5 minutes today. Stay in one place, don’t get up or down in an impulsive way, just sit for 5 minutes without needing to pick up this piece of paper of that phone. Not so easy in our truly frenetic world but you will be amazed at this simple 5 minutes will do for you. Shut the door, find a place outside, somewhere you will not be seduced by an impulsive and take just 5 minutes. We are not trying to empty the mind, control the environment or have an agenda whatsoever, just stop for 5 minutes. Let the breath come in and out, let the world go by just for 5 minutes. It won’t miss you….really! Give yourself these 5 minutes of compassion and in doing so you give it the world around you.

calamari • \kah-luh-MAHR-ee\ • noun
: squid used as food

Example Sentence:
Ophelia tried fried calamari for the first time from a small seafood shack near the beach.

Did you know?
The word "calamari" was borrowed into English from 17th-century Italian, where it functioned as the plural of "calamaro" or "calamaio." The Italian word, in turn, comes from the Medieval Latin noun "calamarium," meaning "ink pot" or "pen case," and can be ultimately traced back to Latin "calamus," meaning "reed pen." The transition from pens and ink to squid is not surprising, given the inky substance that a squid ejects and the long tapered shape of the squid's body. English speakers have also adopted "calamus" itself as a word referring to both a reed pen and to a number of plants.

Keep your adventures alive...

By Vichara


I wanted to be an astronaut when I was young. When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon I was 10 years old, growing up in a small town in the Great Lakes area and many things seemed possible. Of course as time moves on all of the adventures of youth get tempered by the realities and logistics of life. Things change. Each one of you reading this may have had or still have these “adventures” that exist in our hearts. We never truly give them up; they will sometimes morph into other forms of adventures. Retain you your sense of adventure no matter what scale it ends up being. Keep the “Huck Finn” engaged in your heart and keep building those metaphorical wooden rafts that help you float your dreams to the next destination. I met a 93 year old woman in a Tai Chi group the other day that, I could tell by her eyes, is still building rafts.

ablution • \uh-BLOO-shun\ • noun
1: the washing of one's body or part of it (as in a religious rite) b plural : the act or action of bathing
2 plural, British : a building housing bathing and toilet facilities on a military base

Example Sentence:
The river that flowed past the campsite had a secluded nook where we could take care of our ablutions in privacy.

Did you know?
"Ablution" derives via Middle French and Middle English from the Latin verb "abluere," meaning "to wash away," formed from the prefix "ab-" ("away, off") and "lavere" ("to wash"). Early uses of the word occurred in contexts of alchemy and chemistry. It was first used of washing as a religious rite by Thomas More in The Apologye Made by Hym (1533). Many religions include some kind of washing of the body in their rituals, usually as a form of purification or dedication. The use of the term to refer to the action of washing one's body without any religious significance did not take hold in English until the mid-18th century

A little reminder...

By Vichara


I read this reminder this morning as I began to “sit” – “This breath is one breath less…so don’t squander!”. When our days are measured out in commuter times, meeting times, the time to complete a task, lunch time, dinner time and bed time, we are truly conscious of the minutes that make up these segments. What we sometimes refrain from recognizing (even though it happens as a reflex of the human anatomy) is our breath, moving in and out bringing in needed oxygen and life force to our bodies. These breaths, even though we will lose sight of it, are numbered just like the other things we keep time of. You can guess where I am going with this, yes? Drawing attention to our breath at given times during the day will remind us of how delicate this life is and use this recognition to bring more compassion to yourself and to others.

whinge • \WINJ\ • verb
: to complain fretfully : whine
Example Sentence:
She urged her fellow workers to stop whinging about how they were victims of "the system" and to do something to change that system.
Did you know?
"Whinge" isn't just a spelling variant of "whine." "Whinge" and "whine" are actually entirely different words with separate histories. "Whine" traces to an Old English verb, "hwinan," which means "to make a humming or whirring sound." When "hwinan" became "whinen" in Middle English, it meant "to wail distressfully"; "whine" didn't acquire its "complain" sense until the 16th century. "Whinge," on the other hand, comes from a different Old English verb, "hwinsian," which means "to wail or moan discontentedly." "Whinge" retains that original sense today, though nowadays it puts less emphasis on the sound of the complaining and more on the discontentment behind the complaint.

Unification...

By Vichara


Using a dull blade on a tough surface will never penetrate with precision and clarity and in the end only create a mess. Our attempts to resolve issues with half facts and ill intentions will not produce the rewards of accomplishments unless we balance the whole picture of what is known and the facts. All of this is obtainable and can produce positive results if there is unification between parties. With unification and shared drive to seek a solution all things are possible. Oh, and one other things…tell a joke and have a few laughs along the way.

aggrandize • \uh-GRAN-dyze\ • verb
1 : to increase or enlarge
2 : to praise highly
3 : to enhance the power, wealth, position, or reputation of

Example Sentence:
The organization’s spokesperson seemed to be more interested in aggrandizing herself than in raising money for charity.

Did you know?
"Aggrandize" has enhanced the English vocabulary since the early 17th century. English speakers adapted "agrandiss-," the stem of the French verb "agrandir," to form "aggrandize," and later used the French form "agrandissement" as the basis of the noun "aggrandizement." (The root of "agrandiss-" is Latin; it comes from "grandis," meaning "great.") Nowadays, both noun and verb are regularly paired (somewhat disparagingly) with the prefix "self-" to refer to individuals bent on glorifying themselves, as in the following sentence by Barbara Buchholz which appeared in the Chicago Tribune in 1995: "Celebrity authors eager to reveal all, self-aggrandize and wear their royalties in expensive atti

Being present...

By Vichara


We tend not to notice “it” unless it doesn’t work. A simple and possibly naïve statement but it still holds weight. In this case the “it” is the time given, life. I was listening to a doctor discussing the many patients he deals with that have Alzheimer’s disease. With each hour, day and week for these people they lose parts of memory and recognition. For those of us who remember old analog tape, it is like having complete or parts of songs erased…for good, never to be returned or remembered. So yes this is turning out to be a “being present” thought. That engagement of love given to you by your husband/wife/friend, be present with it now. That sense of joy of a new discovery, be present with it now. That song that connected with your heart, be present with it now. Be present now because this moment will not be here later.

oneiric • \oh-NYE-rik\ • adjective
: of or relating to dreams : dreamy

Example Sentence:
"Héberlé gives the film a wonderfully dreamlike patina, combining bright pastels and hard primary colors that mesh quite nicely with the directors' vaguely oneiric staging." (George Robinson, The New York Jewish Week, March 21, 2008)

Did you know?
The notion of using the Greek noun "oneiros" (meaning "dream") to form the English adjective "oneiric" wasn't dreamed up until the mid-19th century. But back in the early 1600s, linguistic dreamers came up with a few "oneiros" spin-offs, giving English "oneirocriticism," "oneirocritical," and "oneirocritic" (each referring to dream interpreters or interpretation). The surge in "oneiros" derivatives at that time may have been fueled by the interest then among English-speaking scholars in Oneirocritica, a book about dream interpretation by 2nd-century Greek soothsayer Artemidorus Daldianus.

The "root"...

By Vichara


So much time and energy is focused on the symptoms and the side effects but there is a failure to look at the “root” of the situations. Is there an inability to understand the importance?, an emotional disconnect?, a physical challenge?, a reluctance that would expose the inefficiencies of particular systems? We all dance around the causes in an effort not to be drawn into the turmoil but it is in the middle of this turmoil where the strong impetus will lay to initiate the change needed. If we do not address the “root(s)” of situations it will ultimately create more challenges that will compound on existing ones and like a flock of sheep, run away on you. Round up these sheep and shear them of these situational causes and effects and get to the root.

embonpoint • \ahng-bohng-PWANG (the "ng" is never pronounced, but the vowels are nasalized)\ • noun
: plumpness of person : stoutness
Example Sentence:
The judge was a man of stately embonpoint who walked with a heavy step as he entered the courtroom.
Did you know?
"Embonpoint" is most often used to describe people of heavy, but not unattractive, girth. It derives from "en bon point," a phrase from Middle French that means "in good condition." The word was first used as a noun in English in the 17th century. It has subsequently appeared in works by Charlotte Brontë ("a form decidedly inclined to embonpoint" -- Shirley), James Fenimore Cooper ("an embonpoint that was just sufficient to distinguish her from most of her companions" -- Home as Found), and George Eliot ("as erect in her comely embonpoint as a statue of Ceres" -- Adam Bede), among others.

Messages...

By Vichara


The phone rings but you let it go, you’re busy right now. It rings again later but you’re right in the middle of some busy work, let it go to voice mail. Later that evening at home it rings again. You think oh come on, it must be some sales call…you let it go. You finally get a few moments and you pick up all the messages. Waiting for you, they are all the same…beeeep, “hey (put your name here) this is your life here, just calling to say hi, hope you’re doing ok”….beep, “hi (put your name here) your life here again, you might want to call me, you know check in, make sure you’re being cognizant of the world around, love you…beeep, “ok, (put your name here) life here again, you really need to check in with me, there is a great need for you to recognize the “world” out there, we need you…ok, call me…

brandish • \BRAN-dish\ • verb
1 : to shake or wave (as a weapon) menacingly

2 : to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner
Example Sentence:
Protestors showed up on the steps of City Hall, brandishing a petition signed by 500 people demanding that the city not close the public skate park.

Did you know?
Most of the time when we encounter the word “brandish” in print, it is followed by a word for a weapon, such as "knife" or "handgun." That’s appropriate given the word’s etymology: it derives via Middle English “braundisshen” from “brant, braund,” the Anglo-French word for “sword.” Nowadays you can brandish things other than weapons, however. The figurative usage of “brandish” rose alongside its earliest literal usage in the 14th century. When you brandish something that isn’t a weapon (such as a sign), you are in effect waving it in someone’s face so that it cannot be overlooked.

Figuring "this"...

By Vichara


Like most of you I am too trying to figure all “this” out as well. These moments to sit and try to bring in the reins of my emotions and thoughts until there is a quiet space is a challenge, as it is for all of us. But as I have read, whatever can run, can also stand still. We are all capable of taking hold of life’s remote control and hitting pause…just for a moment. Who knows in that moment you might see someone else in that momemt and through the acknowledgement recognize, like all of us, we are just trying to figure “this” out.

bombast • \BAHM-bast\ • noun
: pretentious inflated speech or writing

Example Sentence:
Laura complained that the editorial columns in her local newspaper were full of bombast and offered little in the way of intelligent opinion.

Did you know?
The original meaning of "bombast" (now obsolete) is "cotton or any soft fibrous material used as padding or stuffing." It is derived through Middle French "bombace," from Medieval Latin "bombax," which means "cotton." "Bombax" in turn comes from "bombyx," a Latin and ultimately Greek word that means "silkworm" or "silk." Etymologists aren't certain why the shift from silk to cotton occurred, though one source attributes it to an error going back to the Roman scholar Pliny, who had reported that cotton was produced by an insect analogous to the silkworm. "Bombast" has been retained in modern English because it took on a figurative sense used in reference to speech or writing. Thus the basic sense of "stuffing or padding" has survived, but now the stuffing consists of words rather than cotton.

A repeat of an older favorite "thought"...

By Vichara


You are given your first breath of life at birth; the rest is up to you. You are given love to pass it along; the rest is up to you. You are given inspiration from teachers and family; the rest is up to you. You see the imbalance and injustices of life; the rest is up to you. You can see the results of compassion; the rest is up to you. You witness the results of hatred, bigotry and conflict; the rest is up to you. You feel the beauty of creating art; the rest is up to you. You fee the unity of friendship and encouragement; the rest is up to you. Your presence here on this earth creates opportunities; the rest is up to you.

sandbag • \SAND-bag\ • verb
1 : to bank, stop up, or weight with sandbags
2 a : to hit or stun with or as if with a sandbag b : to treat unfairly or harshly
3 : to conceal or misrepresent one's true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of

Example Sentence:
Shortly after agreeing to place a wager on the match, I realized I had been sandbagged and was clearly outmatched by my opponent.

Did you know?
In the 19th century, the verb "sandbag" began to be used to describe the act of bludgeoning someone with a small, sand-filled bag -- a tactic employed by ruffians, usually as a prelude to robbing their victims. The verb went on to develop metaphorical extensions, such as "to coerce by crude means." By the 1940s, it was being used of a strategy in which a poker player with a good hand bets weakly, in order to draw other players into holding on to their hands and raising the bet. The use of "sandbag" has since evolved to refer to a general strategy of playing down one's position in order to gain some sort of advantage.