Kludgy Words

This is another blog that falls under the loose genre of, “Jeff is kind of a word nerd.” This all started because I had a word stuck in my head the other day. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of universalizing a trait only to find that it is not actually that common. I’ve also made the mistake of thinking I’m dealing with some niche issue only to find out that it happens to literally everyone. So, I’m not going to make that mistake here and just assume that you know what I mean when I say I had a word stuck in my head. You’ll figure it out either by context or because it’s just a fact of life.

Side note: I once had a phrase running through my head for days. I was convinced I had read it somewhere or heard it somewhere. A quick google told me that it was from a Saturday Night Live sketch, but I just watched it and have no recollection of ever having seen it. The phrase in question? Murder durder.

This week, the word I woke up to on Monday morning was one that I had heard (I think) but have never actually understood: Effulgence.

While I had the word in my brain, I had no idea what it meant. However, I knew it meant something gross. That connection came from what I assumed to be its etymological partner, effluvium. Effluvium is, according to Merriam-Webster, “An invisible emanation, especially an offensive exhalation or smell” or “A by-product especially in the form of waste.” Yuck. And so, with that connection solidified in my head, I made the assumption that effulgence had something to do with unpleasant emanations. Even beyond my, “This word kinda sounds like that word” guess, the word just feels sort of ugly coming from my mouth. Say it out loud. Effulgence. Yuck. Right? Saying the word effulgence feels like you’re effulging something at the same time.

As in so many other things in life, I was wrong.

Like, very wrong.

I return to our friends at Merriam-Webster to prove me a fool, “Effulgence: radiant splendor: brilliance.”

So instead of some uncouth bodily function, effulgence is actually the shining beacon, a wondrous light that inspires awe. I was very wrong.

But I’m very glad I was wrong in this case, because there’s enough ugliness in the world and it is a joy to be surprised by something beautiful.

I’m not going to lean too far into the metaphor because it is aggressively cliché to say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” or its converse, “Beauty is only skin deep.” I don’t know if I want this to be a lesson on loving your neighbor or judging not lest we be judged or removing the plank from our own eye. You can certainly take that lesson if you want. But for me, I’m just going to enjoy the moment for what it was; a chance to be proven wrong in the best possible way.

I hope you are surprised by something beautiful today.

Peace,

Rev. Jeff Fox-Kline