12 August 2014

Not Blessed

On the twitter and facebook, I often see the hashtag "#blessed" and it makes me stabby.  I have a family member that does it frequently and it invariably makes me want to throw things.

Before you think that I'm a complete ass, this is what I'm talking about: because it's bullsh*t stuff like "After being without a phone all weekend, I'm back online. #blessed" or "Spaghetti and bread for dinner. #blessed"

Umm, no.

"Blessed" is something that shouldn't be used for trivial things.  I tried  to think of instances where I actually use that word and there is only one example I could think of.  "We weren't blessed with kids" is usually my go-to response when people ask if I/we have kids.  It has just become one of the more gentle ways to answer a sometimes uncomfortable question.

I'm blessed with family and friends.  I'm blessed with reasonably good health.  I understand this use of the word, even though it's not something I usually state. Both of those things are actually in my control so I don't consider it being blessed.

I really don't understand the use of the word when it comes to what you had for dinner, that your favorite movie came on cable, or that you found a sweater on clearance.

Being the research nerd that I am, I looked it up:

BLESSED: adjective
1.  consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified: the Blessed Sacrament.
2.  worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship: the Blessed Trinity.
3.  divinely or supremely favored; fortunate: to be blessed with a strong, healthy body; blessed with an ability to find friends.
4.  blissfully happy or contented.
5.  Roman Catholic Church , beatified
 
Doggone it, Number Four, you're not helping. Still, I remain steadfast in my rant.
 
It just feels like if we are going to be "#blessed" by something, it should be something significant: children or the recovery of good health after a bad diagnosis.  Something big and out of our control; not that there wasn't traffic on the way home or that the Bachelorette was proposed to. Like the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl. #blessed.
 
 
 
 

2 comments:

Melaka said...

I'm totally with you. Down here in the South everyone says "have a blessed day". It comes out sounding like bless-ed. Um no. I just don't know what to say to that. Also, it just sounds too righteousy for me.

Of course also down here in the South, there is a different kind of church on every corner. What are you...First Baptist, Second Baptist, Church of Christ, Methodist, Lutheran, Joel Osteen fan, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim or just some sort of Christian that never goes to church but by God, everything is "Lord have mercy" and "I'll pray for you".

Thanks for letting me rant.

Swistle said...

One thing I don't like about the word is that it can have a "Daddy gave ME something good but not YOU. Hm, WONDER WHY?? Nyah-nyah it's because he likes me better!" sound to it. I have a family member whose annual Christmas letter led to my "One 'blessed' per Christmas card" rule. When they use the word, the impression is that they feel their blessings are because they are better-liked by God than other people are. "Hm, why would he have blessed us in so many ways if he didn't love us more than other people?" is the take-away. I had never thought of it that way until I got on their Christmas list, but it's forever soured me on the word.