{"id":2362,"date":"2012-03-04T08:27:11","date_gmt":"2012-03-04T16:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/?p=2362"},"modified":"2012-03-04T08:27:11","modified_gmt":"2012-03-04T16:27:11","slug":"godspeed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/2012\/03\/04\/godspeed\/","title":{"rendered":"Godspeed"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/h6>\n
There are two ways to look at everything, both valid in their time. (Click on painting, and again, for larger view.)<\/h6>\n

One of the delights of writing these blog posts is receiving feedback from readers. Two recently questioned a word I used and I figured I must have missed something. And sure enough.<\/p>\n

The word<\/em> was “God’s speed,” which I used as a phrase. It was part of a closing ditty in the post\/prosem* entitled \u201cSlow, Beauty Ahead.” In that, I recommended slowing down to appreciate the beauty everywhere and suggested that in this case speed<\/em>, even God’s, would not be the most helpful. But, as you’ll shortly see (if you speed read ahead), I was not using the word according to its historical usage, where Godspeed<\/em> has nothing to do with velocity.<\/p>\n

Sometimes though, the hurry-up is exactly what I want from God. I do want to get there (wherever) quickly. I do want this root canal to go fast. The speed of light sounds just about right for an awkward phone call I’d like to get behind me.<\/p>\n

Time, as we already knew before Einstein, is relative. Sometimes it seems fast, other times slow. More, sometimes we want it<\/em> to go fast, other times to slow down. Like the following:<\/p>\n

When time seems slow and we’d like to be fast:<\/strong><\/span>
\nA year, when you’re a child (like waiting for Christmas)<\/strong>
\n When you’re in love and waiting to see him\/her next<\/strong>
\n When we’re on a fast (which should really be renamed a slow<\/em>)<\/strong>
\n A sleepless night<\/strong>
\n A math test<\/strong><\/p>\n

When time seems fast and we’d like it to go slow:<\/strong><\/span>
\nA year, when you’re an adult (“What, Christmas already?”)<\/strong>
\n When you’re in love and spending last hours together<\/strong>
\n A great meal<\/strong>
\n Having any kind of a good time<\/strong>
\n A math test<\/strong><\/p>\n

Any additions to these lists will be welcome, but you get the idea. Sometimes we want God’s speed; sometimes we want God’s\u00a0freeze-frame, deliberate,\u00a0molasses\u00a0slowness to help us see the real essence of things. But neither of these has to do with the real meaning of Godspeed<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Rather, that word comes out of the middle-English expression \u201cMay God spede<\/em> you,\u201d and basically means \u201cMay God prosper you.” It’s an expression of good wishes for success and safety, for thriving and prospering, and for general well being. Added to it all is an element of good cheer.<\/p>\n

No wonder my intelligent readers questioned why I wouldn’t want that, whatever the situation! I stand corrected and am cheered by it.<\/p>\n

So, dear reader,
\nhere’s my wish:
\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Whatever you’re facing,
\n<\/strong>joy or pain,
\n<\/strong>Godspede<\/em> you,
\n<\/strong>and bring you gain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PS The night after I drafted this, Anne said she heard me humming in my sleep, a couple of times. That’s a first. Must have been the cheer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

____________________________<\/p>\n

*Prosem<\/em>, a word of my own devising, is something like a poem–in its condensing of thought and language–but without the kind of structure of even a free-verse poem.<\/p>\n

Next:\u00a0A Time for Everything. <\/em>Coming Wednesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the benefits of writing to you is receiving feedback. Two readers recently questioned a word I used and I figured I must have missed something. Here’s the “correction,” and a wish for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2362"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2362"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2443,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2362\/revisions\/2443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hyattmoore.com\/blank-slate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}