June 09 2011
Hitting the Road
Out and about these next few days, taking the Chev to the Western District for a spot of library talking, and bushwalking. (Damn it. I can’t lie – the Chev isn’t mine. Nor is that me in the picture. In fact I’ll be driving the family sedan, complete with dog hairs in the back tray…)
But back to the snap. The elegant automobile belongs to a blog visitor called Marion, who poses a very curly semantic question that perhaps you may be able to unravel. As Marion explains:
I have recently completed the renovation of a 1927 Chevrolet tourer which my late husband started. As I see it sitting in the shed looking magnificent I am stuck for a word to describe how I feel and I thought you may be able to help. There is a sense of pride, achievement, excitement and satisfaction perhaps tinged with a smidgeon of sadness that my husband is not here to see it. No doubt there is a special word to encapsulate all these feelings. Is this a big ask or does a word immediately come to mind…?
Well, yes, it is a big ask, but only because I can’t summon the right bittersweet word. Can you? Perhaps only German is capable of identifying this layered emotion, but that may be selling our own language short. What suggestions can you ‘crank up’? Marion would be most moved to hear.
Comments
Boniface — 09 June at 09:14AM
Closest I can come is 'fulfillment' which I think captures some of the personal aspects as well as the accomplishment side of things. Be interested to see what others think.
Mauve — 09 June at 09:33AM
Honour. The noun and the verb version both apply. All the emotions you describe would come from the satisfaction, and maybe some relief even, of successfully honouring your bond by completing a project you shared
Nib — 09 June at 08:26PM
"I know you can be underwhelmed and you can be overwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?" -Mean Girls
ML — 09 June at 10:40PM
I had a similar moment today, finally getting the whitewalls fitted to the freshly powder-coated wheels on my restored '56 minx. Sadly a couple of people who have helped me through the restoration are no longer here.
As well as the emotions expressed by Marion, the one ultimate one I feel is "relief". I did it, I finished it, and the departed would be happy to see me relaxed after all the time spent on it.
xobhcnul — 10 June at 04:20PM
Mositone?