Participating in the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’m writing a manifesto of what I believe and what delights me, based on unusual words. Today we’ve meandered over to the letter M.
Let me introduce you to today’s word mellifluous. Admittedly mellifluous isn’t exactly an unusual word – we clearly know it as “having a rich smooth flow; mellow; dulcet; generally used to describe a voice, tone, or writing style.”
But it’s not that particular definition I want to consider. Let’s look instead at mellifluous as “filled with something (as honey) that sweetens.”
Now there’s something I can sink my teeth in, and definitely needs to be part of the Manifesto of Me. Because it’s all about the bees. The meaning of my name, Deborah, is bee. I take the connection quite seriously, and so of course I want something in my manifesto acknowledging this.
In Greek mythology Melissa was the nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey, and honeybees were named after her. Minoan-Mycenaean priestesses were called Melissa. According to Homer, Apollo’s gift of prophecy first came to him from three bee maidens, and of course the Delphic priestess, the Oracle was often referred to as Bee.
According to both ancient Veda texts and the Greeks, lips anointed with honey brought the gift of eloquence. Relatedly, Jewish historians suggest that the root syllable dbr, from which Deborah (bee) derives, is also what “word” is derived from, indicating “the bee’s mission is to give divine word, Truth.”
I love all these connections.
I am committed to a mellifluous life, both receiving the sweet gifts, but also living in such a way that I, too, offer honey that sweetens.
What about you? Are you a honey lover? What’s sweetening your world today? What word do you want as part of your own manifesto? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
How wonderful that your name means bee.
Give divine word, Truth. Wow.
I really love bees. And honey. I photograph bees a lot. I have some new ones I want to post.
I used to have a hive. It’s name was Melissa. Sadly, I lost my queen and I was moving. But I do want to set them up here. There are soooo many predators, though. We will have to build them an intensely safe structure.
By the way, my site name is Walking My Path: Mindful Wanderings in Nature. It shows up with my name here, which is fine. Just wanted you to know.
A melodious word, mellifluous.
Peace
Mary
Oh how lovely to have a hive named Melissa. I do hope you find a way to safely establish a new hive. I hadn’t really considered predators might be an issue. I’m such a city person!
I do know the proper name of your blog – and I always look forward to your posts and your photographs. They are magical. I look forward to some bee pics in the future.
Thank you Deborah! I’m glad you like them. 🙂
Yeah, bears and skunks especially. The bears go for the honey and wreck the whole set up, and skunks like to actually eat the bees. They don’t mind being stung in their mouth.
Ooh yes – I forgot about bears. But I didn’t know skunks were aficionados as well. I suppose the honey can be soothing for those stings, but ouch! Earlier this year I saw a program about honey badgers and they are hardcore hive destroyers as well. But I don’t think they live in the U.S.
What a sweet word! My vocabulary is just keep growing (smile). I’m not crazy about honey but I do like sweet and spicy a lot. I guess honey and ginger will do.
Honey and ginger sounds pretty delicious to me. It’s also true that honeys taste different depending on the season and what flowers the bees had access to. Perhaps you could find a field of spicy flowers. 🙂
Mellifluous, another one of those words that just sound so pretty!. “Filled with something (as honey) that sweetens.” Would that work with a jelly filled donut as well? Have a wonderful weekend!
LOL – there’s something very lovely about a the sound of a jelly-filled donut. Quite mellifluous I think. 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful weekend too Janet. And maybe a donut or two.
I love the word mellifluous. I must definitely anoint my lips with honey in order to become as eloquent in speech as I am in writing.
What a perfect (and delicious) plan! And thank you for stopping by and saying hi.
This is wonderful! I believe we should take the meanings of names more seriously than we do. I’ve always loved bees and honey. Thanks for the connections!
– Jen
I agree Jen – names can be such powerful things, and definitely invitations to dive in more deeply. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Honey on its own is not for me – to sweet but mixed with middle east type spices – delicious. I am more hooked on bees themselves – my garden plants are bought for the bees and any other wildlife for that matter – they keep the world turning, and without them what a dull un-nutrious world we would inhabit. They are such an advanced society and i could sit and admire them for hours.
Indeed as a child I lay on my stomach doing just that when I discovered a solitary bee nesting in a tiny hole in a mossy bank under the lilac tree. absolutely fascinating – nice post:)
I’m with you Alberta – I think a garden should be as much about the bees and the butterflies and the birds and other dear creatures as the beauty for our eyes and soul. What a wonderful childhood memory. I remember, too, the first time I saw a solitary bee living in a hole – I could hardly believe it. It led me to learn a lot about different bees and all their collective magic. Thanks so much for stopping by!