My favorite word in the English language is 'propinquity'. Derived from the Latin word prope which means near. Propinquity means nearness in space, proximity; close kinship and/or similarity. I was introduced to the word by Sheree Fitch during one of our many conversations we shared during the run of her adult play 'Light A Little Candle' – culled from her book of poetry called, In This House Are Many Women. This was the play I spent so many days working on in so many respects with a group of talented and dedicated females. Heralded (as mentioned in a previous blog) as one of the best times of my life. Sheree and I were talking about the book of poems, writings that explore a very personal and intimate time in her life. She titled one fraction of poems 'Propinquity'. I asked her about the word and as with me, it was passed down to her from someone she both loved and looked up to and solidified the power of kinship and friendship. The rest of our conversation was about the women we admire; mothers, writers, friends, sisters and every women who stood for something. That's what that whole run was about for me, representing femininity, strength, obstacles and rising above adversity. I adopted propinquity. I used it, continue to feel it and share whenever possible.
In my house there are many women. Metaphorically speaking of course. Women who have endured abuse and injustices, women who have loved and lost and stand tall in spite of their trials, women who birth children and raise them as tall trees, women who write, women who sing, women who create, women who fight, women who shape and mold this big beautiful world we live in; nurturing, guiding and building with the tools provided. These women live in my house, they roam my halls, sip my tea, share my meals and their heart. Some of these women share my city, some of these women live thousands of miles away but they are all close in proximity, kindred spirits and my accumulated family, both by blood and breath. Having love in your life is essential to survival but having women in your life who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, to walk with you and in your shoes when need be and speak for you when you cannot is a special kind of love, it's a unique brand of union and one that has transcended time. Women are doing it for themselves, girls do want to have fun, we are family; in propinquitious unison.
Sheree's word resonated with me. It burrowed deeply into my psyche. It became part of my being and part of the way I forge friendships, relationships and impressions. At least, that's my hope. I personally strive to be a good human, to be kind and loving, to foster goodness in my interpersonal interactions. The people who pass through my life and the ones who choose to stay are important to me. I work terribly hard to convey that. I believe in it, in propinquity. In love and its power. Being human, I have failed more than I'd like to mention but I lead my life with good intentions, I regard those who cross my path with respect and unconditional, non-judgmental care. Before meeting Sheree, I may have partially been that kind of person but because of one word, the stories and the time spent, I re-evaluated my attitude and decided to alter my whole person. Seems drastic to some I'm sure but it's all very true. I turned away from the unsureness of others and opened myself to a whole new way of thinking and behaving. Some life lessons are bigger than others and my epiphany was life-changing. All because of one word.
Whether I've loved you and lost you or I love you and you are present in my life right now, you can be certain that you are regarded in the highest esteem. My circle is sacred and for those of you in it, soulful sisters especially, you are valued and appreciated more than you could ever know and are celebrated for your troubles and your triumphs.
And I leave you with a tiny poem written for a fabulous writer friend, someone I consider to be one of my many soul-mates. She's a intelligent, thoughtful, she's my Helen of Troy and my snail mail buddy.
This one is for you, Ru:
Tea
(for Ru)
your words pour in
steeped in propinquity
over peaceful terrain
sipped with joy
savored with love
a pot of tea with you
is a blessing
Blessings. Count yours. Make propinquity yours. Pay it forward.
In propinquity,
Nic
