Words to Live By, 2020 Edition
By: Kaila Morris
After this year, I would be more than happy to never hear the word “unprecedented” used in a political context again––the stigma around it has been, to use my affectionate terminology, twenty-twenty-fied. That’s when something has been heard so many times over the course of 2020 that we’ve learned to expect a certain, most usually negative, outcome. Assuming you haven’t yet moved to a remote island in Oceania to escape the tumult of the past few months, chances are you know the feeling.
You may also understand the feeling of alexithymia: when you have no words to express your emotions. The twenty-twenty-fication we’ve all experienced thus far has been, for a lack of a better term, unprecedented, and it’s only fair to have difficulty describing that which has never happened before. So, as a self-proclaimed lover of words, I thought I’d lend you some of my favorites. Feel free to use them at your own discretion, whether that be to impress your friends with your new vocabulary or simply to enjoy the feeling of having a word that describes all your bottled-in thoughts.
1. Acatalepsy. The impossibility of comprehending the universe.
Greek for “incomprehensibility,” this word perfectly describes the sense of confusion we’ve all felt at some point these past few months: That “just when I thought XYZ, the world proves me wrong” feeling. I’m sure we’ve all wondered how certain things have gotten to the point they have, and thus, I present to you: acatalepsy. I think it’s safe to say that we all now know to never doubt the impossible.
2. Anemoia. A nostalgia for a time you’ve never known.
Taken from “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows,” this word goes along perfectly with all the times this year you’ve said: “I wish I could just…”. As one article phrased it, “Nostalgia has long been known to not represent the actual past, but rather, the past as we imagine it. It is a fantasy; plain and simple” (medium.com). If acatalepsy has forced us to contemplate reality, then anemoia has been our escape from it. Idealism at its finest.
3. Denouement. The finale, when everything is explained.
It’s that final part of a play, movie, or book, in which everything meets together perfectly, and all makes sense; no confusion is left in the world, and we have the satisfaction of omniscience: denouement is all our pieces tying together into one conclusive whole. I can’t count the number of times I’ve wished for all the pieces of 2020 to come together into its own denouement. As humans, it’s only natural for us to desire a meaning from something that has none. And though I’ve learned to accept 2020 has no final destination–- just a bulldozer and a plain to run across–– it’s nice to imagine we’ll get some sort of explanation for it all.
4. Tacenda. Things better left unsaid.
I, for one, love to speak my mind; but this year, I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s best for us all to embrace silence. For as much as I’ve wanted to call someone out on a belief I’ve found to be wrong, I’ve had to purse my lips and patiently wait for the right time. In a world where unity seems to be on its last lap, even the smallest little thing can ignite a wildfire, and thus, I’ve had to resort to my knowledge of “tacenda”: things that are better left spoken, for whatever reason that may be.
5. Friluftsliv. A fundamental understanding of nature’s healing effects.
And finally, I leave you the Norwegian word of “friluftsliv,” which invites us all to celebrate the outdoors. I was introduced to this term by a September National Geographic article, and I think it’s quite a beautiful thing to embrace as we leave 2020 but carry its effects with us. Maybe the incomprehensibility of this year, and your inability to say all that needs to be said for the sake of “unity”, is frustrating you to no end; maybe that nostalgia for a different time is making you a bit teary-eyed; maybe your need for some sort of resolution is straining any optimism left in you. But as we continue into the last few weeks of the year, I hope you’ll also embrace all the good that comes your way. Whether that’s through friluftsliv and enjoying the time outdoors, or throwing a Zoom party with family and friends, enjoy the little things–– in this unprecedented year of 2020fications, don’t forget about the small goodnesses often overshadowed by the bigger headlines.
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