We use the word “awesome” a lot these days–much to the irritation of some people.
The classical definition goes something like this: causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear, as in an awesome sight or an awesome God.
But HubPages writer Shelly Watson gets reeeally irritated when people use it in a way that, as she says, brings down the truly awesome things in our world and beyond; the word is, in her opinion, overused in its description of mundane, everyday, unremarkable things that happen in our lives.
And this is one completely valid way to look at it. So in this episode and the next, we’ll experience both definitions, starting this week, with the one that describes an experience of reverence, admiration and even fear.
As you listen, consider this your invitation to wake up and pay attention, and thank God for awe that surrounds us, that we’re often too busy or distracted or worried to see.
Which may or may not involve the mating call of elk. Whatever. All good.
NOTES:
Bow Hunters Hall of Fame.
https://www.bowhuntershalloffame.com/members/joneslarry/index.html
Gilbert, Elizabeth. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Penguin Publishing Group, 2016.
Jones, Larry D. on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Larry-D-Jones/1782943107/
Jones, Larry D. World Cat Identities. http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n84-2503/
Watson, Shelly. “Misuse of the Word ‘Awesome.’” HubPages. April 30, 2020.
https://discover.hubpages.com/literature/Misuse-of-the-Word-Awesome