2011 Word for the Year

Last year I contemplated picking a word for the year but couldn’t really narrow it down so I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. I’ve spent a lot of this year thinking about words and what word I would select for 2011. After much thought, I selected…

Health

health · [helth] –noun
1. the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor: good health; poor health.
2. soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment: to have one’s health; to lose one’s health.
3. a polite or complimentary wish for a person’s health, happiness, etc., esp. as a toast: We drank a health to our guest of honor.
4. vigor; vitality: economic health.

After moving to New Mexico, we were all bound to have some health changes, good or bad, so it’s only fitting for our new environment. And due to being out in the country, our bodies will be introduced to things not found in the outskirts of a large city. And the word health can be applied to many aspects of our new surroundings.

Body

Food -We cannot order food for delivery, bring a bite to eat home, or run to a fast food joint if we don’t feel like cooking. That means we must prepare the majority of our meals. Now, one could look at living far from a fast food joint as a bad thing but we’re looking to the positive side. It means we will be able to control the quality of the food our family puts into their body thus providing us with better health. And thankfully, we are surrounded by farm lands and a dairy so we have lots of opportunities to be selective in our food. We will, also, be able to plant a garden and grow some of our own food. And in preparation of growing our own food, we have already begun composting leaves and other organic items. The boys are thrilled beyond thrilled especially Drama King.

Mind

Moving to the country has given us a new mindset. A few weeks ago, we were eating at Taco Bell when we were approached by a couple college students. Now normally in Tucson, this would be an alarm because it’s rare that people talk to each other just to be nice. But not here, the students came to our table simply to complement our boys on their table manners. Drama King was taken back at first and later that evening said “That’s never happened before. I like that people are nicer here. I’m being nicer, too.” That made my day.

So what is your word of the year?