Most Important Word: Words Matter Week Blog Challenge-Day 1

The Monday question for the Words Matter Week blog challenge is:

What is the most important word or words in your life? Why?

When I create writing assignments for students, I try to craft questions that narrow the topic to something manageable. Perhaps I can narrow the Words Matter Week blog challenge question in a similar way, so I can avoid the hard task of choosing just one word!

Variant #1: What is the most important proper noun in your life? Why?
God. That’s an easy pick, because faith is central to my life, and without God, nothing else would matter. Of course, there are other very important proper nouns: Donald, Craig, Taylor and Anya, Bryan, and Trevor. They are important because they are my sweet family, and I love them.

Variant #2: What is the most important verb in your life? Why?
Love. Without love, it would be impossible to experience deep relationships with those proper nouns (and remember, God is love- I John 4:7-8). Without love, there would be no true grace, mercy, peace, joy, kindness, patience or goodness.

Variant #3: What is the most important adjective/adverb in your life? Why?
I can’t pick just one: kindly and creatively are my two choices. I want to live my life kindly and creatively, for the sake of joy and love.

See? It’s much easier to answer a question if it’s narrowed to a manageable size. It’s also easier to write about something if you define terms before you begin. There’s more than one way to skin a rat!

Words Matter Week is sponsored by the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors. It’s a wonderful opportunity to think about the importance of words. I hope you’ll visit the website and join the blog challenge– if you blog on all five days, you’ll be entered for a random drawing for a $20 Amazon gift certificate. If you love words, I’m sure you can use that!