My Good Friend ING

Introducing ING has become my editor’s nightmare.

“Kat,” she says to me. “If you start sentences with an ING, it’s all wrong.” (I think she said it’s a modifier with no subject. As I recall, that is when she mentioned the dreaded words, participle gerund--that is if I remember right.)

She smiled. I figure this isn’t the end of the world.

“Dear lady,” she adds, gesturing toward my manuscript, “I suggest you enroll at the local community college. Now, back to your editing,” She sent me on my way without elaborating further.

“Community College?” I choke on the idea as I drive home.

That’s when I spy ING on my shoulder, challenging and invigorating me in re-creating, and re-arranging my modifying phrases.

“Ah, ha,” I exclaim. “ING and I are the best of friends. After all, my days are filled with ING.”

Walking, cooking, cleaning, dusting and bed making.

My work station welcomes ING early each morning.

Answering the phone, breaking with co-workers, and mastering the constant paper shuffling.

I wrestle with ING in the night.

Dreaming, snoring, and yes, tossing and turning.

When I’m hurting, ING is right there.

Crying, caring, comforting, and shoulder patting.

I found ING is musically talented. Singing, fiddling, and harp strumming.

That’s when a horrifying realization hits me. ING was present in the Garden of Eden. Satan sat around crafting his tricking ways and then set to tempting Eve.

Right away Adam and Eve acquainted themselves with ING by breaking God’s commandments.

Now some folk think ING did the changing thing by deciding to hang out with the best of people. Like good guy Noah building the Ark; Samson by avoiding Delilah’s nagging; and Job in his suffering.

What about the Old Testament prophets? Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, and Nathan a speaking prophet.

Don’t forget those Proverbs, the ‘Sayings of the Wise’.

And Jesus, anointing, healing, and preaching about the elements of living by trusting and believing.

Paul used admonishing techniques, encouraging us in keeping on keeping on.

I smile, thinking about my Grandma Dee starting her day. She spent time praying, praising, and memorizing scriptures, compelling many to do likewise.

Children are enjoying ING with their laughing, joking, pretending and game playing.

Embarrassingly enough, even gossips are users of ING, whispering, hurting, and destroying with shocking words.

Unfortunately, Satan is still forcing ING into family life. Maybe bullying is a better word? But then, he does his best at sneaking in, destroying whole families with arguing, fuming, and sadly divorcing. Yet there are some families embracing ING by resolving issues--kissing, hugging and making up.

It doesn’t surprise us to know that the police are acquainted with ING. They find people carousing, maiming, killing, drinking and driving.

My husband also knows ING. Humoring me, accepting me, teasing me, loving me, and yes romancing me over three weeks of vacationing through twelve states.

Yet ING isn’t just a controlling co-dependent. The good and the bad alike can go chumming with an effervescing, dazzling ING friend.

There are those editing folks who are not appreciating ING’s finer qualities, preferring ED instead.

Don’t get me wrong, ED is a fine extension.

However, me, I’m opting for Mother’s teachings. She spent hours instructing me “Be careful in choosing your friends,” she would say, elaborating on not playing favorites and all that.

Maybe I’m quoting Mother out of context. I’m well known for blaming others for my silly quirking. Quirking? Oh yes, I’m creating a new word for a special ending to my best friend ING.    

Kat, Still Lionhearted©2002