The word for today is FOIBLE. A FOIBLE is a moral weakness or failing. It is also the part of a sword between the middle and the point of the blade; the part that bends and gives, as opposed to the forte, the part between the hilt (handle) and the middle, which is considerably stronger. The FOIBLE of a sword is like the branch of a tree that can bend and sway, until the wind is too strong, and then the branch is struck down, while the trunk and roots remain. Have you seen the trees with new branches growing from a cut or struck down trunk? These are foibles that will not die.
I heard the word FOIBLE when I was speaking with a friend, trying to describe what I had just done. I was certain that I had created a fiasco, another in a long line of humiliating failures. As Hemingway says in his memoir, A Moveable Feast, I was stupid. I was searching for a word to describe a part of myself that I hated. I thought that this particular problem behavior was part of my past. I did not know how to say that I had done something so ill-advised yet again, that I had gone out onto the social battlefield, and that I had failed.
This is one of your foibles, my friend said. And because my friend is a gentle man (and I suppose a gentleman as well), the word FOIBLE did not sound as harsh as the fiasco I was sure I had created. The word FOIBLE did not make me want to stick the point of the sword into myself and hurt myself even more than I was hurting already.
Everyone has foibles. It's okay that I have them too. A FOIBLE is a weakness, but it is just part of me. It's part of that same sword that contains my forte or strength as well. I have to have a handle on things, I have to hold on. I have to bend and I have to give. I have to learn to get out of the way when the wind blows too hard or my resistance is too weak. Given what I am learning, I know that my foibles are not the measure of my mettle, my courage or my fortitude.
As many an artist has said, well at least I got a song out of it. My You Tube is working again. Enjoy today's song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0JvWVbxOkQ&feature=related
Don't be too critical of yourself Amy...knowing and admitting our foibles is the way to weaken their power and bring change...but you do seem to know that already...so just forgive yourself for whatever...and learn from it...people that never fail..are people not doing anything!...Take care Amy!
ReplyDeleteWanda: Thank you as always for your kindness. I am fortunate to have close friends who remind me to be gentle. I was actually worried that my "foible" admission would make friends both in my geographic community and my new friends from the blog go away. So it was extra good to hear from you. For me honesty is always the best policy. I read your comments on other blogs. You provide incredible encouragement to so many of us. Now, it's time for me to read and see what you've been up to. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteJust checking in to say hello Amy...hope everything is going well for you...Missing You and your One Word! Take care! Wanda
ReplyDelete