There are many things I don’t understand about our society. I often verbalize those annoyances to my family where I’m usually met with my daughter accusing me of being an “old man yelling at a cloud.”
Be that as it may, my most recent aggravation involves people using the word “blessed” where I question whether it’s appropriate. It seems many people believe some invisible hand is at work making every little good thing happen to them.
It happens often enough that I’m reminded of Inigo Montoya in the Princess Bride telling Vizzini that “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
The dictionary definition of blessed can vary but the most common is that you’ve been favored by good fortune from divine grace.
You just went on a fabulous vacation? #BLESSED.
That incredible dinner at the fancy restaurant where you had the duck and not just the chicken? #BLESSED.
Your daughter got straight A’s again, is the current Prom Queen and just learned her science project received a Genius Grant from the MacArthur Foundation? #BLESSED. Obviously.
Given this trend, I’m curious as to the intent. Are they implying they are more deserving or have been specially chosen for all these great things? With all due respect, is a mystical force really that involved in the mostly mundane and minute details of our daily lives?
I choose to believe we’d all be better off noting that it’s OK to work hard and have nice things or interesting experiences and to celebrate our accomplishments for what they truly are: the results of human action.
Your daughter got into medical school. Wow. Blessed? Nope. Maybe she just worked her butt off to get there.
We humans are pretty amazing. We should give ourselves a bit of credit when things go well. It’s not divine provenance that makes things happen. It’s US.
I’m Wester Wuori, I’m NOT yelling at a cloud, and that’s my Perspective.