Word-in-a-Word Wednesday: "Message"

Today's word is "message".

The word within it is "sage" - mesSAGE.

A message is a communication to someone that can't be contacted directly.

A sage is a very wise person.

It's not coincidence that messages from sages continue to travel through space and time to future generations.

And it's no coincidence that messages from sages remain sources to which we return for intellectual, emotional and spiritual enlightenment.

Do you communicate with others as if you could, one day, be a sage?

Why or why not?

If this is the first time you are reading a "Word-in-a-Word Wednesday" post, click here to learn how it works.

Keitharsis is a blog on creativity, roots and the portfolio life.  It is written for creative writers and artists.  New essays are published each Tuesday and Thursday.  Creative exercises (like this) are offered on Wednesdays.

Comments

[Karen]

ahhh I love this one.. one thing that I thrive on is learning from others.. I am constantly using messages from others, and then tapping into my own internal wisdom to use that in my writing, which then can be relayed to another person.

I think that we all have a little "sage" in us, in our own creative ways.. it's how we use it - we learn and teach.

[Larry Carter]

First, I'm glad that your word within a word is not mess. That is how my messages start out, sometimes, because I can be a bit of a mess.
I hope that God's wisdom grows in me to become a sage. However, you can't really be one until you actually do communicate with someone and they listen and consider you message to be something that will impact their lives.

[Eileen]

Haha...I'm laughing a Larry's comment. I'm glad the word isn't mess either. And yet...I think it work too.

Keith, you've brought up a topic that I'm extremely passionate about! Our words matter. Our messages matter. One of the reasons I started writing again was that the longer I live without my mom (20 year now) the more I realize how important it is to leave your message behind. It's hope for future generations. Just look at the Bible. Our words have the ability to impact lives year and years after we are gone. I want to leave that same kind of legacy for my son that my mom left for me.

[Keith Jennings]

Karen,

I'm with you! I have a strong bias toward messages that have survived a few generations, at least. I find too much today to be opinion without weight, depth or substance.

[Keith Jennings]

Larry,

I actually chuckled when I read your opening line! And what you've written is quite wise. So thank you!

[Keith Jennings]

Eileen,

Indeed they do! Your story is very powerful. It offers insight on where your depth comes from. I really appreciate you sharing this!

[georgia]

love it!

sage is a favorite word of mine... and coincidentally, also a favorite color {anything in the green family}. as far as cooking goes, sage is not my favorite spice, but it's a good one!

first of all, what larry started his comment with... hilarious. didn't even see that until he pointed it out.

i hope to communicate with others the way you described here. but it's a convicting thought... one which makes me want to make sure i am deeply rooted in the word of God, because when speaking to others {or simply writing on my blog}, i would not want to stand tall in a confidence that is merely my own, but rather in one that is rooted in the wisdom that is gained by knowing him. i know i've never considered myself a leader or messenger of sorts, but i know others are always listening and observing what we have to say, so this is a great reminder.

hey... you're a sage!

[Karen]

LOL sorry.. I just had to shout out a laugh with larry.. thank you for the laugh today.. I saw the word mess too, but ignored it, I like "sage" a lot better.

[Suzie Gallagher]

Sometimes it can years before the sagacity of a message is known. Part of my sermon this week (yes, I finished it) is about thinking with the mind and heart together with purpose. So for example you read your daily bible verse and after prayer, ask what is this verse saying to me, now, in my situation, what is it that I am doing right (do more of it) or need to change - and change it.
Last year, on March 9th 2012 a very wise, almost sage-like woman, gave me the advice of using my mind as well as my heart in the course I was doing. On the way home it was like a floodgate opened and all these possibilities deluged me, by the time I was home I had the next two assignments written in my head, a new song and the précis for a new piece of writing.
The bible is without any doubt the most wise document on the planet, and yet we need discernment and sapience to extrapolate the meaning for today both individually and for the community at large, we need to simplify the message, demystify the 2000 years of church gobbledegook to allow people who don't know how to find Jesus, find him. The depth of the message is in it's many layers of simplicity, it is like a ball of wool, once you find the end, the unravelling is easy, but finding the end can be quite arduous. I find that people who try to be wise, be sage-like are missing the message and the ones who write simplistically, pass on a far wiser message.
Should I aim for sagacity? I'm not sure if it is stubbornness or calling but I like to keep things simple especially when communicating through the written word.

[Nissi]

Larry, by far you are the funniest! My messages are often times messy too! Communication can be hard for anybody but artists with monkey brains (like me) can have it a tad harder when its difficult to think in straight lines!

How about using sage in the adjective form? (Which just means possessing wisdom.) Let's look for the whatever wisdom, I guess you say that sagacity, there may be in each message sent our way. My daughter had a huge meltdown this morning in public at our local WIC office. She yelled for 45 minutes without letup and part of the "message" she wanted to give me through clenched fists was "I will scratch you..." over and over again. I'm still scratching my own head wondering exactly what God is trying to tell me through that one. Any sage advice anybody?

[Tony J. Alicea]

I love that you didn't go with the "mess" in your message. It's a good one but probably overused.

I've learned to be more precise in my wording. It comes across as more authoritative. I don't try to act like I have all the answers, but I am confident in what I write. That's a step toward becoming a sage!

[Keith Jennings]

Georgia,

I believe wisdom exists in messages communicated without words too, don’t you? Some of the greatest photographs, paintings and even music have given me a clarity words aren’t equipped to do.

And if I am a sage, it is of the culinary variety. Not the Yoda kind!

[Keith Jennings]

Suzie,

I’ve got an essay coming in the near future on Keitharsis about the artist’s role with simplicity and complexity. I don’t want to spill the beans, but I think genius and wisdom exist when someone makes the complex accessible. Especially in a world where most complicate the simple.

Love your comment!

[Keith Jennings]

Nissi,

Maybe God is trying to tell us all that we often sound just like your daughter to Him! I certainly know that applies to me!

[Keith Jennings]

Tony,

Love the idea of precision being connected with “message” and “sage”. Thank you for that one! I’ll be letting that one marinate.

[Nissi]

See, there's sage answer. In fact maybe, it was for me to take a good hard look in the mirror and wonder if the adult tantrums we have are about as harmful to ourselves and as effective in getting results as my daughter's. Good point.