The meaning of words
joanne.lopers
This quote by Joyce from another thread had some impact on me today as I thought about a discussion I had with my 10 year old son.
"The words we use land in someone else's head and they use *their* meaning not ours."
My son asked, "Where is the safest place on earth." My husband immediately answered, "Home." Safe for me extended outside the family to community, I was was thinking of peaceful communities where I believe I would feel safe. For me it would be a place that didn't need guns and did not have violence. Maybe not very realistic but I was trying to think of a place like that on earth. I asked him what he meant by "safe". He explain that he wanted to know if there was such a place that was completely secure in a military sense. Who has the best defense, the most weapons to use against the enemy, the biggest army, etc. Safe for him involved many things that do not really make me feel safe and home has not always been safe in my life. So "Safe" conjured up three different images for three different people. It reminded me to clarify word meanings when having discussions.
Joanne
"The words we use land in someone else's head and they use *their* meaning not ours."
My son asked, "Where is the safest place on earth." My husband immediately answered, "Home." Safe for me extended outside the family to community, I was was thinking of peaceful communities where I believe I would feel safe. For me it would be a place that didn't need guns and did not have violence. Maybe not very realistic but I was trying to think of a place like that on earth. I asked him what he meant by "safe". He explain that he wanted to know if there was such a place that was completely secure in a military sense. Who has the best defense, the most weapons to use against the enemy, the biggest army, etc. Safe for him involved many things that do not really make me feel safe and home has not always been safe in my life. So "Safe" conjured up three different images for three different people. It reminded me to clarify word meanings when having discussions.
Joanne
Sandra Dodd
and for a safe place I was thinking "New Mexico," beause we don't get floods, tornados, earthquakes or hurricanes. But in the trashbarrel by our back gate is a big black widow spider that I have failed twice to kill. And it will make babies. I shudder at that.
Physical safety
weather
biting insects
biting reptiles
doors that lock
safe people locked in with you at night
food
comfortable bed
water
flush toilet?
Emotional safety
honesty
reliability
kindness
A defensible fortress (as Joanne's son wanted), but fortresses are just asking for trouble. :-)
On Just Add Light today I used a photo from a fort I got to see in France (Thank you Claire!) and it hasn't had a very peaceful history.
http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/2012/07/respected-and-loved.html
It safer now, as a museum than it probably has been since it was a monastery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_l'%c3%89cluse
Maybe it would help to point out to children (and ourselves) that there is no such thing as absolute safety. Only safer. Safer than dangerous. Less dangerous.
Sandra
Physical safety
weather
biting insects
biting reptiles
doors that lock
safe people locked in with you at night
food
comfortable bed
water
flush toilet?
Emotional safety
honesty
reliability
kindness
A defensible fortress (as Joanne's son wanted), but fortresses are just asking for trouble. :-)
On Just Add Light today I used a photo from a fort I got to see in France (Thank you Claire!) and it hasn't had a very peaceful history.
http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/2012/07/respected-and-loved.html
It safer now, as a museum than it probably has been since it was a monastery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_l'%c3%89cluse
Maybe it would help to point out to children (and ourselves) that there is no such thing as absolute safety. Only safer. Safer than dangerous. Less dangerous.
Sandra