Joining in on Tracie's Word Game

Several of the writers I follow on Associated Content have been engaged in a word game. Tracie Walker came up with the idea. She supplies five words and the writer explains the connotation each word has to him/her personally. I decided to play along. If you'd like to give it a try, send Tracie a message and she'll send you your five words.

sleep
I used to be able to sleep until noon...okay, even later. I hesitate to admit that my sisters and I were almost late for an afternoon wedding once (and we were in it!) because we slept so late. It's a good thing my aunt knew us well and decided to give us a 'wake-up' call. Once I started teaching, I had to be out of bed at 5:30 every morning. I've been in this routine for so long that I can't break it. Actually, morning is my favorite time now...well...once I've had my coffee.

motivation
Of course, like a lot of people, I thought of those times when I try to lose a few pounds. I am motivated to continue when I experience success. I've always spent a lot of effort trying to motivate the students that I teach. Motivation keeps us prodding forward. It makes us want to try new experiences and learn new skills.

independence
My mother always said that she could put me in the middle of a big bed when I was just a few weeks old, and I'd work at trying to get to the edge. Is that stubbornness...or independence? I guess it's a little of both. I think it's important for every individual to be independent. We come into this world alone and we go out alone, so we need to be able to stand on our two feet when necessary.

languid
I am feeling languid right now. It has been about 110 degrees here in S. Nevada for several weeks, and it's getting to me. My energy level is definitely flagging. I always wonder how those pioneers did it when they traveled the Oregon Trail.

beauty
Immediately Kahlil Gibran's The Beauty of Life popped into my mind. I can't imagine how many times I've read that, and I still love it. I also thought of Joni Mitchell's lyric, 'weighing the beauty and the imperfection to see if I'm worthy'. I believe that beauty surfaces in the simple things in life...a sunset, dew on a rose, looking at the ocean. It sounds cliché, but yet it's true.