It was easy to think of a few words that I dislike, some more than others. However, I decided to choose a word that is mainly positive to probably every female except me. Princess, /pɹɪnˈsɛs/, is a word that is from English origin, known to be from the late 14th century. It means daughter of a king, or in the animal world, a female lemur. I dislike the word due to the meaning it has taken on for me. As a child, my stepfather used the term in a derogatory manner. My mother was called “The Queen” , and I was the Princess. It was not said as a compliment. Now that I have become a Christian, I struggle every time someone calls me a princess, due to being a daughter of the King, Jesus Christ.
My favorite word was harder to find. I took a poll from among my peers and their words ranged from positive, such as happy, to more obscene, which I won’t write. After a period of self-reflection, I decided my favorite word is, and will always be, mom, due to both the sound and meaning. I adopted my two oldest boys from Ukraine in 2001. I didn’t think I would ever become a mom, but after a struggle, it became a reality. Even though it’s been 18 years, my heart still swells when I hear those boys call me mom. The fact that there is still a biological mother for each of them in Ukraine does not mean the word takes on a lesser meaning. It means more to me, as she will be their mother, but I’m their mom. Although mother seemed to become in effect in 1827, I prefer the term mom, as it is more personal.
What would you choose?
Laura J Bembenek, Author 