Struggle
Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.
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There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the word itself. It’s a good word, a meaningful word. It’s just that it has become a replacement word for things like nearsightedness, acne, and thinning hair.
THIS is a struggle:
“I struggle with poor vision.” Really? Why don’t you just put on your glasses? Struggle over, unless you have a truly untreatable vision problem.
“I struggle with thinning hair.” Honey, you’re just growing older, unless you have a condition like alopecia. Age does that to our hair. There are things out there that may help. Right now, I’m using green tea supplements. We’ll see. But I guarantee you, I’m not struggling. I comb my hair over the thinning areas and go on about my day. Not struggling.
Acne? Well, I have to rethink that one. Acne is a struggle, and I had it pretty bad when I was a kid, starting at age 10. Yes, I struggled with that one. Back in the day, there were no medications. Just harsh soaps and things like Clearasil and Noxema, which made my oily skin more oily. So I’ll give that one a pass.
To struggle is to battle, fight, strain, put in great effort. When an ingrown toenail becomes a struggle, what word is left for cancer, heart disease, liver failure? We catastrophize simple, day-to-day situations . What on earth will we do when something truly terrible happens if having a wart on your toe is horrible, awful, a struggle?
I wish we would save hard words for hard things.
Excellent. You always manage to put the right words to paper. @sheilamgood at Cow Pasture Chronicles
Great post! Very apt and meaningful! 🙂