My older son is getting married on Saturday. He is eager to make this great change in his life. My younger son might not realize it but he too will face a change: after Saturday my younger son will be known as the unmarried one, the one lacking a wife.
It is discouraging to be defined by one's deficiencies and described by "un" words. For instance, if I look at the words beginning with "una", I see that my New World Dictionary lists twelve clearly negative words: unable, unaccomplished, unadventurous, unadvised, unambitious, unAmerican, unappealing, unappetizing, unappreciative, unapt, unattractive, and unaware. (To avoid clouding the issue, I do not include the possible disparaging use of the word "unau", the two-toed sloth of South America.) The dictionary only lists three clearly positive words: unaffected, unafraid, and unassuming.
I hope my younger son faces his new status unafraid. (Not to meddle, but if Heaven should some day present him with a nice girl, there's no point in being unappreciative.)
