Friday Dispatch: Time to Settle
Nothing less and nothing more
Friday greetings,
I’m low on writing juice today.
Sometimes a week is so full that I need time to settle before I can sift through and see what to keep, what to leave be, and what to write about. That’s where I’m at this morning.
So today’s Dispatch will be short, but I do want to spend a few minutes considering the word “settle,” as it holds many meanings, moods, and possible usages, depending on tone, context, and intention.
To settle can imply accepting less than what one wanted or deserved. It has a feeling of resignation or disappointment.
She would have loved a home-cooked meal, but settled for take-out.
After pricing out hotel options, they settled for a hostel.
Settling for the path of least resistance ended up backfiring.
To settle can suggest allowing something to calm or quiet down, connoting relief.
After a bumpy takeoff, the flight settled into its cruising altitude.
A long walk helped my thoughts settle.
The girl’s upset stomach settled after eating a piece of toast.
To settle can mean to resolve or reconcile a question or conflict, or reach a decision or conclusion. It indicates a sense of completion.
They settled the question of who would do the dishes by flipping a coin.
Unable to settle their disagreement, they agreed to revisit the topic later.
We settled on a jungle theme for the birthday party.
To settle can signify finding one’s place or laying down roots. There’s a vibe of “Honey, I’m home.”
The cat stretched and yawned before settling into the sunspot for a nap.
As soon as I took the pressure off, I settled into writing the newsletter.
My parents, both New Yorkers, settled in New England in the early 1980s.
No doubt there are others, but I’m determined not to turn to the internet to fast-track or fill in answers. (This reminds me of an article I read this week about how using AI to brainstorm ideas robs us of the learning and creativity brainstorming brings.)
I’ve been catching glimpses of birds all week – this one flying up to the roof, carrying a thread of ribbon glinting in the morning sunlight, that one with a beak full of dried grass, slipping into the hole at the top of a chimney, that one pecking and pulling a morning feast from the ground. I imagine each bird is a messenger of sorts.
If you are feeling stirred up, overwhelmed, restless, or just plain tired, think about what the word “settle” has to offer you. Try writing a handful of sentences until you land on one that has the message you need most today.
What I need is to sit in a chair in the sun like the nonas in the photo. They have nowhere to be and nothing to do but sip a cold drink and watch the world go by. I imagine them there, complaining a little, confiding in each other, settling for nothing less, and needing nothing more than to soak up the day.
That sounds just right. Good thing it’s almost Shabbos.
Shabbat Shalom and love,
Jena
While you sift, I'll settle for this.