UP is a little two-letter word with so much meaning that it takes up a fourth of a page in the dictionary. My favorite words to use have become Hands Pointed UP, so I wrote a book about the subject of UP. Every time I hear or picture these words, I get psyched UP and jazzed UP.
My book contains 90 inspirational sayings that include the word UP. It includes biblical references and other observations that will help you keep a positive attitude when you approach your most prized possession--the next 24 hours. I have collected these quotes over my lifetime, starting in a shoebox and working up to a computer. Everyone goes from hearing Jack and Jill went UP the hill, to kiss and make UP to “What’s UP?”
Everybody is thinking about life and its UPS and downs, they are UP in the air or down for the count; UP to something or down on somebody, UP a creek without a paddle or down in the dumps, we want to be UP to the minute, but we’re down to the wire. Since people know my favorite word is UP, everyone wants to meet UP with me, catch UP with me, raise their glass UP to me.
The reason I like UP comes from when I questioned my mother about what time she got married. She said noon “because the hands are pointed UP.” Towards heaven.
Many people have horseshoes that point UP, argue over cutlery in the dishwasher being UP so it gets cleaner, save pennies with heads UP or collect elephant trunks curling UP.
Shania Twain had a hit song UP that my niece won a talent show with.
I started thinking about good things that happen at noon and whether bad things happen at 6:30 when the hands are pointed down. One of the good things is Presidential inaugurations. I wondered if criminals were born at 6:30.
Of course I served my guests at the book signing my new favorite drink, 7-UP. What about Stick UPS air fresheners, Block UP sunscreen, Kilz UP Shot Overhead Stain Sealer, the quilted picker-UPper, Easy UPS and Chicken Shake-UPS by Oscar Mayer?
To get you to buy clocks, ads feature 10:10 because it subliminally creates a smiley face with the hands UP.
Maybe you’ll start noticing these things, too. A friend called to tell me about the priest’s sermon on UP on Ascension Sunday. Since Christ was lifted UP into Heaven, the priest made ”UP” his key word, beginning with "we wake UP" and "get UP," and ending about 10 minutes later saying something like "and that sums my homily UP."
Things in nature seem to point UP to God. Grass blades point UP as do mountain peaks. Tulip bulbs planted UPside down in the ground, manage to turn UPward, breaking the soil to point toward the sky. What I can’t imagine is that sloths spend most of their time UPside down. They eat, sleep, mate and give birth that way.
Skiiers are told not to look down, as are beginning typists. A beginner will be frightened by the slope and overwhelmed by the distance. Looking down causes panic, instructors say. Same advice for models.
To end UP, people always tell each other not to give UP. Observers of the Korean prison camps gave the name Give-UP-itis to those who lapsed into a state of passive acceptance, the least likely to survive and recover. Stay suited UP. And stand UP for something.
Mary Ann Van Osdell
[email protected]
Shreveport, LA USA