Reaching for Exactly the Right Word

Sometimes, I have to reach for exactly the right word. Standing on my tiptoes, I reach just up and over to bring it down from that high shelf where less-used words go.

I give it a quick dust, look at it again, and decide it's just what I'm looking for.

Occasionally, this word is so dusty that I look it up to make sure I've remembered it right.

That's good. We can't know every single word in the English language at one time.

Instead, we have working words we use all the time ... and others we have to reach for and dust off when we need them.

This came to mind yesterday when I was writing a card. I had to reach up and pull down "prescience."

It was the perfect word.

That's why I always say: Choose the best words, not just the plainest words.