Mansuetude
I'm intrigued by one of the words in the National Spelling Bee yesterday. Mansuetude means "gentleness of manner, mildness." Obviously not a common word in our culture or they wouldn't have used it in the Spelling Bee. Ironically, most folks would equate that word with weakness, but I submit that it takes a lot more strength to exhibit mansuetude than to scream and throw a fit when things don't go your way. Who is the stronger? the one who has self-control or the one who doesn't? the one who is ruled by truth or the one who is ruled by circumstances and emotions? Seems like it wouldn't hurt to get to know this word a little better.
posted by Kristie @ 12:12 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
man-soo-tood
I tried spelling some of the words last night, but I couldn't even understand what the words were. I did get the escargo one right!
Mansuetude? Never heard it, but then again, that spelling bee had maybe 2% in its list that I might remotely know. You're right: we need to get to know this word better.
Suzanne, last night you didn't leave off the "t" in escargot, did you?
Zoanna-yes I did!! :)
I started a blog, called tumbleword, but it is based in Mansuetude. The idea is to go to the world with gentle hands, because the hand is powerful, a gift... but like the voice how do we use it?
Power is more consciously gentle than Might, but people forget that.
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