WORD OF THE WEEK: Syzygy

Summary: Well, I've done it again, posting late. But that doesn't mean I've stopped my crusade to find new words each week from a variety of sources—like today's: syzygy.

Holy syzygy! You mean it isn't Monday? Where has the time gone?

Actually, I know where my time was spent: I returned to my hometown over the weekend for some family events, and wound up staying longer than I'd planned. It may have shifted my schedule a little, but it was a conscious decision. I was easily lured into staying by my love of learning.

Don't get me wrong: Love for my family played a huge part, as well. But I confess it was the combination of the two that won me over.

My father, long a role model to me in a number of ways, decided last year at the age of 59 to return to school—seminary school, to be exact, to get his Masters in Divinity. (I'm sure he won't mind my sharing his age in this context!) I'm incredibly proud and amazed at him, as usual. And even more so am I proud this week, after watching him humble himself to learn in a new way a couple of days ago.

You see, he's taking a theology course that's been throwing him for a loop: Dad entered seminary based on his heart-felt beliefs, and intellectualizing his spiritual connections has felt unnatural to him this semester. He asked me to coach him over this little bump in the road by using the tools of my trade to connect his heart and mind (and bypass his brain challenges). I may post more about this in the future, if I get his permission. But for now, let me share the following:

You know I'm always looking for fun words I can share with you here (typically on MONDAYS). One word jumped out at me from Dad's dictionary of theological terms that just seemed—well, fun.

Syzygy (SIS - zi - JEE) - (n.) the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies in a gravitational system, such as the sun, moon and earth during a lunar eclipse, for example; also the combining of parts to make a spiritual whole, such as Carl Jung's concept of animus and anima as soul parts or such as the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity. From the original Greek words syn, or together, and zygon for yoke, this word is just plain fun to spell and say!

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