The Daily Word

for Wednesday, January 27, 2021

portentous - adjective - stimulating wonder or amazement

The above definition of portentous is actually the second of three in the dictionary. The first casts shadows of negativity, reminiscent of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet": "Black and portentous must this humor prove/Unless good counsel may the cause remove." I tend to steer away from tragic romances because I have too much in the way of personal material. I do like the second definition, which is definitely in contrast with the first. It is quite unusual to uncover a word that possesses two very opposed meanings.

To me, anything that incites awe is a good thing: an A on a previously unmotivated son's or daughter's report card, a squirrel's dexterity when eating with its fingers, the sun peeking over the offing and illuminating the calmness of the ocean at 6 a.m., your mother's consistently accurate advice that you rarely take and then regret not taking, the tears of your unemotional brother as he watched Biden get inaugurated, etc., etc. These are tidbits of life that are portentous and foreshadow more surprises to come. 

As it is almost 8 p.m. where I am, what did you find portentous about today? 

GEN 😊

#inspiration, #inspiring-words, #optimism, #writers, #poets, #readers