Posts Tagged: apathy
“OBEYING WITH ALACRITY”
I love words. They are no substitute for reality, but they can become a wonderful compost in which real deeds can thrive.
Take the word “alacrity”, for example. I used it today in my journal entry.
“God, you have given me so much! I am not sufficiently grateful, loving, or obedient. Please help me to become more so in all those ways. Help me to love you more today, to be more grateful, to obey with alacrity.”
I love words, but I often forget their precise meaning. However, because my friends think I’m smart (and because many of the words I love have Greek or Roman bases), I can get by with using words that I don’t really understand. So, after using the word “alacrity”, I had to go back and look up the durned thing.
My first hit was “brisk and cheerful readiness.”
Well, that sounds pretty good, doesn’t it!?
Of course, like every other human on the planet, I sometimes struggle with alacrity. Oh yes, I will obey—eventually. But I don’t have to like it.
By the way, do you know what the opposite of alacrity is? Apathy. And apathy is so rampant, so prevalent, that it is mistaken these days for the norm.
Unfortunately, people who do things with alacrity often irritate me. Their enthusiasm their zest for life and living, casts a dreary light on my own apathy. And when I strive for alacrity, I often irritate others as well.
In my google sleuthing, I noticed that the usage of alacrity has radically declined since 1800. I am not surprised. We have elevated apathy to an art form. It isn’t particularly good art form, but we shouldn’t let that stop us, should we? Well, maybe we should stop.
So, Self, what is it going to be today? Are you going to do things with brisk and cheerful readiness, or not?
Your choice! My slogan for today: “Bring back alacrity!”
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
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