“Superlative vocabulary usage – a forgotten art” (Post 46)

Yesterday I had a Messenger conversation with a friend of mine and I sensed that he needed to hear words of encouragement. I tried my best and I hope he is no longer as blue. Last night I met another friend for a good-bye dinner and we spoke about the things that mattered to us and the conversation was cheerful. These two experiences made me think of a book I wrote and in it is a simple song about us needing to hear good words. The title of the book is: Mr. Palette Relocates to the Empire in Search of the Happiness Factory and Encounters an Appearance of Christmas.

(I present an extract here from pages 54 – 56.)

… As Mr. Palette was struggling to remain emotionally afloat on Cabaret Island, he was thinking about these inexpensive beautiful words we could use in an effort to at least start to lay the foundation of our “happiness factory”. That “fun factory” we long to be in, or the place we long to work for, or the place we want to “own” so that we can dispatch loads full of happiness to glum destinations like Cabaret Island, free of charge! Why do we want maintain the cold and heartless status quo?

Superlative Vocabulary

Everybody craves it, hardly ever hears it

Someone has to say it before we believe it

Every time life-giving, easy superlatives

Easily delightful, those daring adjectives

Everyone deserves it, vitality to live

Multitudes of people, energizing motive

Together we do it, dilemma is astute

Magnitude is global, demanding your salute

They will delightedly depart

You made your speech an art

It is an ardent prayer

With adjectives in the air

Everywhere accepted, engineer to waiter

Cannot be rejected, there is not much greater

It is no deception, there’s no exception

Clever conversation, beautiful sensation

Eagerly awaiting, someone has to utter

Comforting word choices, versatile like butter

Warm-hearted and loyal, generous and gentle

Pro-active and royal, calm the temperamental

They will delightedly depart

You made your speech an art

It is an ardent prayer

With adjectives in the air

All of us want it, enchanting to hear it

Anyone can give it, before we enjoy it

Good words can inspire, like witty and charming

Splendidly surprising, dynamic and darling

Beautiful like smartest, strategy is better

Loveliest and brightest, blessing in each letter

Immensely intensely, awesome to intelligent

Uplifting each other, and very pertinent

They will delightedly depart

You made your speech an art

It is an ardent prayer

With adjectives in the air

May we find the courage today to support each other with superlative positive words. I heard the late Barbara Sher say in one of her videos that one should never criticise a friend’s best efforts because that is completely counterproductive and it will just destroy the friendship; be a super friend and use the superlatives rather. Let us think of all the wonderful words we can use that we never hear anymore and pass them on, they do not cost a dime – but they work like a charm every time.

The work I include here today is an oil on board still life I made in the early 2000’s. Have a cup of tea and think of beautiful words. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (NIV, Philippians 4:8)