Relationship : Write 28 Days

the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected

In our society relationship is assumed to imply romance, but I like to look beyond that idea. I like the definition from The Oxford Dictionary because it doesn't limit the word to romance.

I have a relationship with my home, my car, my bed, my feed, my computer, my blog. You get the idea. By limiting the word, relationship, to only people, we limit our understanding of the world.

This is a pet peeve of mine with the English language. We need more variety in our vocabulary to fully express ideas and concepts. I heard once that the Inuit people have 50 words for snow. That "fact" is up for debate, but it is true that variations on words help us understand more fully than a single word used repeatedly.

Experts claim that the reason some cultures have many words for one thing is because language evolves to focus on the most important aspects of life. If you live in an environment where it snows for 365 days a year then this becomes a crucial part of your existence. In an article in the Washington Post, Willem de Reuse, a linguist at the University of North Texas, said: “These people need to know whether ice is fit to walk on or whether you will sink through it. It’s a matter of life or death.”  -- (https://www.pangeanic.com/knowledge_center/are-there-really-50-different-words-for-snow-in-inuit/#)

Here's what I do know about relationships -- they can be with objects, concepts, or people. They can be easy, difficult, complicated, confusing, and comforting. And we all need at least one solid relationship to help us keep moving forward.