Yesterday I had a Messenger conversation with a friend of mine and I sensed that he needed to hear words of encouragement. I tried my best and I hope he is no longer as blue. Last night I met another friend for a good-bye dinner and we spoke about the things that mattered to us and the conversation was cheerful. These two experiences made me think of a book I wrote and in it is a simple song about us needing to hear good words. The title of the book is: Mr. Palette Relocates to the Empire in Search of the Happiness Factory and Encounters an Appearance of Christmas.
(I present an extract here from pages 54 – 56.)
… As Mr. Palette was struggling to remain emotionally afloat on Cabaret Island, he was thinking about these inexpensive beautiful words we could use in an effort to at least start to lay the foundation of our “happiness factory”. That “fun factory” we long to be in, or the place we long to work for, or the place we want to “own” so that we can dispatch loads full of happiness to glum destinations like Cabaret Island, free of charge! Why do we want maintain the cold and heartless status quo?
Superlative Vocabulary
Everybody craves it, hardly ever hears it
Someone has to say it before we believe it
Every time life-giving, easy superlatives
Easily delightful, those daring adjectives
Everyone deserves it, vitality to live
Multitudes of people, energizing motive
Together we do it, dilemma is astute
Magnitude is global, demanding your salute
They will delightedly depart
You made your speech an art
It is an ardent prayer
With adjectives in the air
Everywhere accepted, engineer to waiter
Cannot be rejected, there is not much greater
It is no deception, there’s no exception
Clever conversation, beautiful sensation
Eagerly awaiting, someone has to utter
Comforting word choices, versatile like butter
Warm-hearted and loyal, generous and gentle
Pro-active and royal, calm the temperamental
They will delightedly depart
You made your speech an art
It is an ardent prayer
With adjectives in the air
All of us want it, enchanting to hear it
Anyone can give it, before we enjoy it
Good words can inspire, like witty and charming
Splendidly surprising, dynamic and darling
Beautiful like smartest, strategy is better
Loveliest and brightest, blessing in each letter
Immensely intensely, awesome to intelligent
Uplifting each other, and very pertinent
They will delightedly depart
You made your speech an art
It is an ardent prayer
With adjectives in the air
May we find the courage today to support each other with superlative positive words. I heard the late Barbara Sher say in one of her videos that one should never criticise a friend’s best efforts because that is completely counterproductive and it will just destroy the friendship; be a super friend and use the superlatives rather. Let us think of all the wonderful words we can use that we never hear anymore and pass them on, they do not cost a dime – but they work like a charm every time.
The work I include here today is an oil on board still life I made in the early 2000’s. Have a cup of tea and think of beautiful words. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (NIV, Philippians 4:8)
