Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, on love, as highlighted in Krista Tippett's interview with Helen Fisher:

"Lust, that state commonly known as 'being in love,' is a kind of madness. It is a distortion of reality so remarkable that it should, by rights, enable most of us to understand the other forms of lunacy with the sympathy of fellow-sufferers. And yet, as we all know, it is a madness that, however ferocious, seldom, if ever, lasts... But, paradoxically, mad and suffering as one is, and the heat of the flame, few of us are glad as we feel that passion slip away. No, while most people have been at their unhappiest when in love, it is nevertheless the state the human being yearns for above all."

After dedicating 2014 to the word reclaim, my word for 2015 will now be released. Did you catch it?

release

I debated between two words this year: reveal and release. To me, reveal is prettier, more elegant, and more mysterious, whereas release has several detractions:

1. The quantity of others who have already chosen this word, since I'm want to be original (and pretty, elegant, and mysterious, sigh),
2. The voice of my boss repeating this word each year as she quotes Michelangelo in her standard graduation speech,
3. The somewhat sexual association.

Nonetheless, I was persuaded in favor of "release" by this 8 second dialogue @ 1:14:58-1:15:06 between Madeleine and Mr. Levinson [Season 4, episode 8]:

Levinson: "London has remade me in a different image."
Madeleine: "Maybe London has released you, to be seen as you really are."

Replace London with God and I'm in business. I'm eager for the freedom of "release." To break free from bonds, real and imagined. To be made and remade in His image. And yes, to be seen as I really am.

Reveal started to feel like a bit of work. Reveal what? Some underlying truth needing to be uncovered. To search with the expectation of finding something like a secret masterpiece or hidden treasure - compelling pursuits, to be sure. But what treasure map do I have other than praying for God to reveal (something, anything, everything) to me?

Reveal and release are nearly interchangeable words when paraphrasing Balanchine (or Michelangelo, for that matter). Both were in the business of showcasing what was "already there"; they merely laid their gifted hands upon reality to let the heavenly emerge. Mortal that I am, I just don't always see it in my own life and pray that God will open my eyes.

"We don't create, actually. We assemble what God created. See it's already there, anyhow. You just choose. You just take what's in front of you and you manipulate (it). You put it together. This inspiration, it's not anything that is all of a sudden like a stomach ache...."

It may be splitting hairs, but "release" feels more within my realm of control. Maybe even an antidote to my being woefully overworked. I can "work" on letting go. After all, isn't the point of the Enneagram not to "reveal" our false/shadow self, but to "release" us from the predictable traps and provide pathways to freedom and connection?

Finally, the real reason for choosing "release" is this phrase that just came to me. You could say it was "revealed" to me. I like to think of it as a "recent release" for 2015:

Release yourself to me and I will reveal myself to you.