Generic Compliments

Sundays are for lazing around in your pyjamas. I'm currently sitting at the dining table as my mom prepares mulligatawny soup. I've always wanted to taste it ever since I read the poem 'Mulligatawny Dreams'. The soup was actually an authentic dish from Tamil Nadu which the Britishers took along with them as they left our country. Here's hoping that it's as mouthwatering and delicious as it smells.

Moving on, what does one do when bored? One stalks people on social networking sites. No need to deny it. All of us do it. It's kind of everybody's guilty pleasure. I came across my friend's photo from her school farewell party. She looked incredibly pretty and I commented on the picture saying she looked amazing. That's when it hit me. I say the word 'amazing' way too much and frankly, it just sounds generic and meaningless. We've used the word so many times it doesn't mean anything now. It's like-"Oh my god! The food is amazing! That dress is amazing! The weather is amazing! I'm amazing! You're amazing!" My God. Can't we be at least a little original? Can't we expand our vocabulary? Isn't that what words are for? To be used. Imagine all those beautiful words and phrases just drooping and wilting away because we never use them in a sentence. So much so, that when we hear it, it's so uncommon that we've forgotten what it means.How hard is it to tell someone they look beautiful? That the view from the top of the hill is breathtaking? How hard is it to not use the word hard? Difficult, arduous, strenuous, laborious, grueling, burdensome. All of these words mean the same thing. However, we think that these words are 'big'. It doesn't even occur to us to use them. Except when it comes to giving an interview. Then, everyone wants to use words like 'mellifluous' and 'morose'. Anything to make one look smarter. If looking intelligent and dapper is so important to us, why can't we use decent vocabulary in our everyday lives? Why do we reserve it for special occasions? Because frankly, most people can tell when you've just learnt a bunch of impressive sounding words. When you learn a new word, it takes a while for you to adjust to using it in the correct sense. Why don't we want to sound smart and well-read all the time? I'm not saying use unnecessary adjectives in a sentence. Speaking and writing are arts. They require rehearsal. There's a difference between sophisticated and trying too hard. My advice is-read. Listen to intelligent people speak. They command your full attention. And reading, usually helps you figure out the meaning of words and their usage. When one reads, vocabulary becomes a piece of cake! If this didn't inspire you to read and speak better, watch 'Dead Poets' Society'. That always works.