A 'fullness of feeling'
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Three weeks into the New Word Wednesday feature, I've finally found a word I've been searching for since April. It's not exactly the word I wanted, but close enough to matter.
Back in April, our ever-insightful, ever-inspirational bloggy friend known here as Grandmother (Hi, Mary!) wrote a post about Louise Erdrich's poem, The Glass and the Bowl. In her post, Mary noted that, "Her poem captures that incomparable fullness of feeling that comes unbidden in precious moments of parenting ..." .
Mary's "fullness of feeling" phrase was so perfect, so true, so absolutely spot on for many of my heartfelt sensations that it has stuck with me ever since. Even more so than Erdrich's evocative poem.
"Fullness of feeling" describes the richness I experience when I look at photos of Bubby and Mac loving on one another, or soak in the sense of family when our original five are together and laughing, when I hear young children in concert, when I see a veteran with hand over heart and holding back tears as he bravely honors a fallen comrade. In so, so much is there a fullness of feeling. Now I have words for that.
Yet I also want just one word for that. I figured there simply must be a single word that comes close to Mary's description. I've searched, and there's not. At least not that I've found. Not really. Not one so exactly, perfectly right.
But there is one that's close. Or at least related. And it's today's New Word Wednesday offering:
PROFUNDITY (pruh FUHN di tee) noun 1. the quality or state of being profound; depth. 2. Usually, profundities. profound or deep matters. 3. profoundly deep; abyss.
The profundity of Mary's words left a lasting impression on me.
Thank you, Mary, for the new phrase that led me to a new word.
THIS WEEK'S GRILLED GRANDMA
Profundity is often a theme of the Grilled Grandmas, and the newest grandma to be grilled is no exception. Please be sure to read Grilled Grandma: Patti before clicking away and heading off into the nether regions of the Internet. And if you're feeling the love, please don't hesitate to offer her a few words — profound or not-so-profound — in the comment-love section. Such a simple act may make another's day.
Thank you for making my day by visiting Grandma's Briefs and reading my blatherings. Now go enjoy your day ... and your air-conditioning, too, if you're one of the lucky ones to have it (which, unfortunately, I'm not).
Today's question:
Who, what, or where would you deem a 'profundity'?
Reader Comments (10)
This was one of my very favorite posts of yours. I love 'profundity'! It's a word that people need to be able to use.
I find profundity when thinking of each of my sons or grandsons. I find produndity in the innocence of small children. A young coworker of mine has a 3 year old son who is waiting with his Dad at the door when we leave work. They come and pick her up every day, and they don't stay in the car, but rather wait right outside of the door. That in itself is heartwarming, but I walk out with my coworker, and the little boy has so sweetly and unknowingly, made me a part of his family. Every day he runs up to me and hugs my legs, then looks up at me (all smiles) patiently waiting for my keys. I hand them over, and he takes off down the sidewalk, with Dad in pursuit. It gives me some darned amazing profundity, I must say! My heart swells and I look forward to his hug and playful interchange every day. He has just been diagnosed with Aspbergers. He stole my heart, right along with my keys!
I wonder what the opposite of profundity is? I had a deep experience of profundity this week. I found out within 24 hours of each other that my best friend's grand daughter was born and that my brother in law has a MUCH better chance of survival - profundity that brought me to tears many times.
The weekend prior though, with the new Mom laboring in excruciating pain for 3 days with no results, finally to have a C section. Wondering if my sister's husband was going to survive the weekend. After reading the phrase "fullness of feeling," I realized that I had spent those days waiting for answers with a complete emptiness, avoiodance of feeling, hollowness. The opposite of profundity.
Profundity can be an amazing form of relief when it comes.
In answer to today's question, I find your blog the best example of profundity: comprehensive, all-encompassing, and infinitely enjoyable.
I love those wonderfully profound moments that come my way--I've had so many. My dad's birthday is this week so I'm recalling one profound moment with him. I was a young girl standing on top of a peak in the Rocky Mountains surveying the landscape below me. My dad knelt down beside me, hugged me and whispered, "It kind of makes you believe in God doesn't it?" One of the most profound moments of my life.
Profundity is such a good word! For me it's that feeling when Our Little Princess first sees me and comes running over and throws her arms around me. It's also holding Her Highness in my arms and the feeling when she turns her eyes up at me with absolute trust and contentment. It's the same feeling I had when I would wait on the edge of the dirt road next to the mailbox and watch for my Dad to come walking down the road from work. Those kinds of moments make my heart full and I try to treasure them in my heart.
Just couldn't help but pop back in to tell you AND your readers how your "fullness of feeling" from Mary and all their descriptive statements make me think of a paraphrasing of one of the lines of King David's 23rd psalm as it so often comes into my head and heart; "The Lord is my shepherd...my heart runneth over." Thank all of you for sharing your own profound thoughts and feelings.
The moments of profundity I have experienced are the birth of my four children, the weddings of my three girls, the births of my four grandchildren, and I have been told to expect the moments of profundity when two more grandchildren will be born in October and March. Another time is when I have my whole family together for Christmas remembering the reason for the season, enjoying a good meal together, and the closeness we feel as a family, followed by the expressions of joy when they open their gifts that are handmade from Mom/G-Maw. There is nothing better than a child saying "Oh G-Maw you are the best maker ever".There are other times in my life timeI have done the dance of profundity but these are the ones that stand out the most.
Fabulous post, my friend!! Love it!!
Sending hugs your way ~
Another throughtful word, Lisa. It made me think of the profundity I have experienced lately. My DIL's grandmother passed away this week--she was 91 years old. I thought about her, her life, the last time I saw her. My mother turned 89 this week and I thought about how many more years we'd share.
Aah, Lisa, I loved your thoughtful post so much, as well as the comments from your readers, as I can so relate!
As a parent, there are so many moments of profundity. I remember being caught off guard in a moment of profundity when my daughter, Megan won student of the week when she was in the third grade. It was at that moment I realized that others knew what we already knew, that she was and is very special. I cried like a baby!