Memoirs: Why I Write

Dimino definitions: Eureka, erupt and wow:

The answer to the question of why I write, may be summed up in three words, ie. eureka, erupt and wow. Look at those three words, for a moment.

"Eureka, I have found it."

Eureka is what I will refer to as one of those dimino definitions, that has stood the test of time. Initially, this word was coined by Archimedes, with respect to expressing his phrase "I have found it." He had just found a method, by which he could discern the purity of gold. Since that time, the word eureka has also been used to express triumph with respect to discovery, as well.

Erupt

A volcano erupts and spews forth lava from the bowels of the earth, totally unannounced to the rest of the world, on a regular basis, somewhere on the globe. The lava brings about new rock formations. We can see this happening, like an unfolding drama in Hawaii, where volcanoes continue to erupt and the island land masses continue to grow in size.

What does this have to do with why I write? Words do the same thing, erupt into some sort of formation which we can behold.

What do the two words, eureka and erupt have in common?

The first word, eureka, has to do with an expression by a person; a word that expresses the entrance of something into existence from what appeared to be in the state of non-existence, prior to that time. Something has been discovered or found.

In other words, the word eureka shows that an answer of some sort has been realized, some kind of a solution has been reached by someone, somewhere or somehow. That answer may have been pre-existent, but prior to that time, it has remained undiscovered or at least it was not expressed by a human being until that particular moment in time.

The word erupt gives us some understanding in terms of a natural phenomenon, that is happening or has happened. From what appears to be in a previous state of non-existence, existence occurs or something diminoes. What diminoes stands the test of time.

Both of those words contain some element of surprise with respect to the unexpected.

Compare those two words to another word that that we use almost every day.

Wow

This is a typical reaction when all of a sudden, something astounding is perceived or realized. This is not a new word, even though we might think that it is.

Wow was used as far back as 1513, with respect to strong feelings, generally pleasurable in nature. Going
ahead a few years into 1921, wow became a word used to express success. It was often interchanged with the word hit.

Gradually, about 1926, wow was employed as a word or expression that would excite others, in terms of admiration and general approval. About ten years after that, it came to be used to designate the rise and fall of pitch, dependent upon various speeds in a reproducing sound system.

Now, we often see wow being introduced as a contemporary expression that is used by many people, to depict something that appears to be wonderful or marvelous, as well as pleasing and surprising.

Words often undergo transition over periods of time, but what is occurring is even more important, as we see that there is a continual dimino effect happening in our world, right before our eyes and it is defined in words and in nature, but yet in some way, it still remains beyond definition.

Eureka, erupt and wow say it all, in a nutshell. In other words, I have found it, it erupted and it is marvelous to behold.

That is why I write.

Such is the nature of new and on-going discovery in terms of writing about any aspect of creation. What appeared not to be, actually is and it is being realized by humankind, a bit at a time. We all can write about it.

We still dwell in that same world of discovery. Isn't it wonderful?

The world of dimino definitions, with respect to new discovery, is just beginning to grow.

Eureka, erupt and wow are just three of those kinds of words.

That is why I write, to express the joy of discovery.