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Conversations with Calliope- What Words are For

By Joseph Langen

 

 

(Footsteps in the Sand)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Refreshed from a wonderful weekend but still perplexed.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about the weekend first.
JOE: Carol and I dined with friends, walked to the Farmer's Market, swam in our friends pool and best of all returned to Spiritus Christi for an emotional reunion with fellow travelers on life's path.
CALLIOPE: Sounds great. Why are you perplexed?
JOE: Last night Carol told someone of our joyous spiritual experience. The response was to try to pin down her beliefs and see whether we fit into the other person's neat box of religious beliefs.
CALLIOPE: Do you?
JOE: No. In our search for a context for our spiritual journey, some people seem to insist that we see things from their point of view and tell us what we can or should do rather than accepting our choice to follow our own path of discovery of our relationship with God.
CALLIOPE: How do you feel about that?
JOE: You sound like a counselor. We don't like to be put into someone else's box no matter how much they say their words are motivated by concern for our souls.
CALLIOPE: Understandable. What do you plan to do about it?
JOE: Probably be a little more careful about who we choose to share our enthusiasm for our journey with.
CALLIOPE: Perhaps a wise course.
JOE: Agreed. Talk with you tomorrow.

 

 

Conversations with Calliope- Juggling Words

By Joseph Langen

 


Columbus Circle)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What news?
JOE: A surprise in my inbox.
CALLIOPE: What was it?
JOE: An email from William Safire thanking me for my post about the word marriage and welcoming me as a Lexicographic Irregular.
CALLIOPE: How nice. Did that make your day?
JOE: It did. I have always enjoyed his New York Times language columns but have had difficulty finding them due to limited distribution of the Times in a small town.
CALLIOPE: Is there any way you can still find access?
JOE: Interesting you should ask. I found a link to notify me by email when he publishes anything. I am looking forward to keeping up with his comments.
CALLIOPE: What else is in the fire?
JOE: I sent in my column about the word marriage which will appear in Sliding Otter News this Saturday (request a free subscription at jlangen@slidingotter.com)
CALLIOPE: What else?
JOE: I am finalizing my article on Finding God in Nature.
CALLIOPE: Where will that appear.
JOE: In a forthcoming book, Meeting the God of America by Christian Schall. I'm trying to be patient. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- What Words Mean

By Joseph Langen

(Wedding Bower)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Were you serious about contacting William Safire or just kidding?
JOE: Serious. After some sleuthing to find his email address at the New York Times, I sent him a post suggesting he consider the meaning of the word marriage.
CALLIOPE: Do you think he will?
JOE: I am sure he has many requests for topics. I always appreciate requests from my readers and usually end up honoring them in one form or another.
CALLIOPE: That's a good way to be sure you aren't just talking to yourself or me.
JOE: I agree. Although I enjoy our talks, I like it when readers chime in as they have lately on the topic of marriage.
CALLIOPE: Are you done with this topic?
JOE: Hard to say. My column for Saturday, also to appear in Sliding Otter News, looks at the issue further.
CALLIOPE: What feedback have you gotten from your readers?
JOE: Some didn't see what the big deal was. Just let everyone choose whatever relationship is comfortable.
CALLIOPE: What's the likelihood of that?
JOE: Not so great, I'm afraid. Some people feel threatened by people messing with their institutions and cherished beliefs.
CALLIOPE: Any other thoughts on marriage?
JOE: I found a good brief history which gave me food for thought at www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/history_of_marriage_in_western.html . Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- The Word Marriage

By Joseph Langen

(Wedding on the Veranda)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. You had more to say about marriage?
JOE: I did. It seems to me that the word itself is confusing the debate about who should be allowed to use the word "married."
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: Most people don't object to other than heterosexual couples having civil unions. They just object to calling it marriage.
CALLIOPE: I see. Civilly, Marriage refers to a legal union regardless of whether there is a religious ceremony.
JOE: Right. It also refers to a religious ceremony, regardless of whether it is legalized with the government.
CALLIOPE: So you can be married in the eyes of the government alone, a church alone or both.
JOE: Right. I think it's too much work for one word to do.
CALLIOPE: What would you call it then?
JOE: Good question. Reserving the word for people in one set of circumstances is likely to alienate everyone else. Maybe we need several words to make everyone's situation clear.
CALLIOPE: Is anybody even discussing this possibility?
JOE: Not that I know of. That's why I brought it up.
CALLIOPE: Do you think anyone else is interested in the issue?
JOE: Perhaps William Safire would be. I'll ask him. I'm not sure anyone else has the emotional energy to enter into such a debate. We shall see. Talk with you tomorrow.
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