wordplay. – Pure and Simple

But of course there are!

Have you ever heard this sentence before?

Well, I have. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing this post right now.

Now, let’s think of common opposite words such as… tall and short. But, actually, the word tall has more opposites than just short.

There are, for example, little, small, petit, and others. Not to mention how you can make an opposite of tall through figures of speech by using, for example, dwarf.

Besides, tall is not only about height, for it can be used to describe a difficulty, for example, a tall task. In this case its opposite would be easy or simple. By the way, I hope my posts are not too tall.

Don’t think that this is a grammar lesson, because it’s not.

It’s just about the idea of flexibility and perhaps… possibilities.

If a word has many synonyms, why should you be stuck with one opposite when you have other choices that can express meaning in different contexts.

And this is simply another way to avoid embarrassment, monotony, or misunderstanding.

Hopefully, you’ve got my point.

If not… think of how the word opposite itself has more than two opposites and, ironically, synonym is its most popular opposite.

With hope and peace,

Nahla

How do you want to retire?

I’ve just checked the dictionary to know more about the various meanings of ‘Re’ when it is a prefix attached to the word with no hyphen—just like retire.

So, one of the options is that Re can mean back and away or after.

And, of course, tire is about exhaustion and your need for recharging, right?

However, with the combination of both syllables, ‘retire’ can mean it’s time to step away and start afresh, anew after years of hard work, stress, workaholism, wins and losses, and possibly a permanent medical prescription.

Therefore, the word ‘retire’ itself is actually not as pessimistic as some people think—or worse, fear. If only you ponder its other positive possibilities, your retirement could turn out to be the best phase of your life.

I still remember how my father’s health and mood deteriorated after retirement. In fact, he was not even open to announcing the news outside our family’s circle. He didn’t tell me as I was the youngest not to upset me with his “sad” news. I did know, though— how could a teenager back then not figure it out? Three years after his retirement, my father passed away.

Retirement—the end of life— felt like a motto in the nineties, and, of course, before that. The sadness and isolation my father experienced were so common that almost everyone in their sixties withdrew into themselves.

Now, after sharing my thoughts and memories, it has just crossed my mind how full‐time mothers are blessed not to worry much about retirement. When children grow, mothers usually become more relieved—yet their position and influence remain strong. Don’t you agree?

But, of course, with my positive interpretation of retirement, I’m ready with a handful of chores for my husband’s retirement when it comes ( still years to go).

With hope and peace,

Nahla

Tag: wordplay.

There Are More Opposites Than Two

Re and Tire