So what is your word?

I have been reading this book called Eat Pray Love. Have resisted reading this book because it was on the bestseller list and hawked by a bunch of people. The last time that happened, it was "The Secret" that listed out what had never been secrets for centuries. This book seems okay at 100 pages, kind of chick-lit meets travel (and food!) meets spiritual seeking. Elizabeth gets a divorce and begins her seeking - through three months in Italy, India and Indonesia. Three months in Italy obviously deals with the food (pretty amazing stuff!), India with spiritual seeking and Indonesia with balance. Honey, can we book our tickets to Indonesia, please?! :-D

The one thing that got me thinking was what she had to say about the word. The author's surmise is that every place, person and thing has one word that characterizes it/him the most. For example, New York's word is Achieve versus Los Angeles' Succeed. Elizabeth Gilbert agonizes about what her word is and ends up with lots of words that are not!

I think my word is 'Contribute'. Not Fame or Power or Success. While I hope to have the last be part of my life in general, I find I am contributing more than being an Architect of anything. Sure, set up systems....but these are also systems that contribute, not life or death....great to have and kind of difficult to live without systems.

Contribute is positive, even if it is not glamourous and hit-you-in-the-face for attention. Contribute works....really hard! :-D