Sunday, October 22, 2006

sunday scribblings prompt this week: good

I guess I don’t think the word good is good.

I’ve let it roam around in the back of my mind for a day or so, and it has collected nothing pungent, nothing crisp.

Picture an old wooden ruler you might find at a flea market. One that's been carried around in a carpenter’s pants pocket, or a child’s school pencil box. The edges are softly rounded off and the hash marks might even be worn away on the ends. To use it to measure anything accurately, you’d have to use the center and avoid the ends.

The word “good” is like that ruler. Its edges are worn away and it doesn’t measure meaning accurately any more.

We say good morning, good bye, good grief, good God, good plan, good to go, and if you start paying close attention to any conversation you’re a part of…or that you can overhear…it won’t take long before you hear someone or something being labeled good. We're compelled to label and the word “good” gets worked to exhaustion.

We’ll be right over.
Good

It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.
Good

Here comes the bus.
Good

How are you?
Good

We’re almost there.
Good

Want more coffee?
No, I’m good.

Word fatigue.

Have a good day!

4 comments:

Becca said...

It is such a "middle of the road" kind of word, isn't it???

Let's just go all out and be stupendous, marvelous, fabulous, yummy, wonderful, etc...

Great post!

Jessie said...

comparing "good" to a used up old ruler...dare i say "perfect"?!

your comparison feels very accurate. i love what you did with this prompt.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I never really thought of the word "good" in this light but you're so right. I'm with Becca; we need to start using other words and give the word "good" a break. haha

Unknown said...

I was noticing the same thing when I was letting it roll around in my head. i like the ruler bit--it was good, no--accurate.