oh. yeah. that word.

believe:

Main Entry: be·lieve
Pronunciation: \bə-ˈlēv\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): be·lieved; be·liev·ing

Etymology: Middle English beleven, from Old English belēfan, from be- + ly-fan, lēfan to allow, believe; akin to Old High German gilouben to believe

Date: before 12th century

intransitive verb
1 b : to accept as true, genuine, or real
2 : to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something
3 : to hold an opinion

Well, there it is. Why? I don't know, but this word practically pummelled me to the ground, demanding it be The One. And so it is.

I admit I have some trouble with the first definition. I am a realist - I see the wheat AND the chaff. The rose AND the thorns. I'm so much of a realist, in fact, that I have a hard time getting my head around the concept that there can be a silver lining without the cloud. Ya know?

And number two. I'll admit I've grown a little jaded of late. I do truly believe that at our core, most of us want to do the right thing, the good thing, the kind thing. But you know, Christmas shopping has a way of beating that "seeing the goodness" thing right out of one. My cynicism goes back further than this season, though. Quite a ways further, in fact.

Number three - hold an opinion. I do. I think I do. Yes, I do. (<-notice the problem there?) I will, and I will be sure in it, and confident enough to share it, but open minded enough to acknowledge that maybe it's a work in progress.

and you...?