verb - noun - a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence. (Oxford Language)
It has been six years since I retired from teaching secondary English, and it's been longer than that since I was able to get away with teaching English grammar directly in a classroom because, well, um, frankly, it is no longer permitted–at least not in New Jersey. If you are a sensible, educated individual, you would see the irony in this immediately. All languages employ grammar as it is foundational. Which brings me to the part of speech known as the verb. As stated in the definition above, a verb at its absolute best describes an action. It is on this attribute (three examples) that I will concentrate.
Thank is a verb; besides being verbs, love and hope can also be nouns, concepts that can roll off the tongue quite easily and frequently do sans staying power. Often they don't mean a heck of a lot unless they make the transition into verbs. Actions, after all, do speak louder than words. Take verb number 1: thank. Thanking can be done quite physically if you extend a hand to do so. Since the paranoia over skin-to-skin contact during the pandemic dissipated a few years ago, every once in a while, you most likely encounter a person not traumatized enough from the past to offer a solid handshake as a sincere gesture of thanks. Thanksgiving, a day set aside each November (we just experienced it), motivates you and me to give thanks mainly by eating. (As proof of this phenomenon, my sister spent hers devouring turkey, a candied yam casserole, dinner roles, and pumpkin pie all by herself in Cracker Barrel.) If the spirit moves you, you can also downshift into the past and write an actual thank-you note to be delivered by a mail carrier via the U.S. post office or the like. Not many of you do this sort of thing anymore, though. Still, thanking as an action comes fairly naturally.
On the other hand, love and hope can be a bit tricky. Most of you are thinking that these two are abstract as opposed to concrete concepts. Can you touch love or hope? Are they solid entities? No, but they can be put into action that is quantifiable. If you are a Christian, you know that this is the season of Advent; you wait for the birth of the Savior. If you are Jewish, you celebrate Hanukkah, which involves light. Love and hope are attached to both practices, but many of you choose to confine love and hope to words and actions within your own four walls.
Which is admirable, but this holiday season, I think you can do better than that. I think you can put love and hope into action outside of the confines of your family. I know I've been on your case before re: volunteering, but if you are interested, that's how you can truly show love and hope, demonstrating them as action verbs. Love in action begets hope. When you reach out to those less fortunate (an act of love) and you can see the difference you've made, you walk away feeling hopeful, like things are going to get better since you've made a genuine effort on behalf of complete strangers.
As an example, today I volunteered to adopt a disadvantaged family. I am guessing that I'll have to spend a little bit of my savings investing in their Christmas. Since everyone I know, including Christ, has a birthday in December, I probably spend the most money on gifts this month. No matter. I'm going all out to go all in. Every cent spent on providing these people whom I don't even know vaguely with basic needs and wants (an act of love) will translate into hope, the hope that someday the family at a more prosperous time in their lives will be able to pay the deed forward, reminiscent of "Schindler's List." Acts of love are contagious and lead into hope, hope of a better tomorrow. If you and I and everyone else who are fortunate did this sort of thing, the world would be a much better place.
Mere words when put into action provoke positive change. Instead of complaining about the status quo, do something about it. Act on love and hope. Everything is possible. (Report back to me by New Year's if you take my advice.)
#love #hope #holidays #blog #personal essay
