A Force of Nature

I have been called a Force of Nature by those near and dear to me. Today as I was out driving around the North Portland area, I started thinking about that term. Just what exactly does it mean?

Merriam Webster defines force as:
Main Entry: 1force
Pronunciation: \ˈfȯrs\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *fortia, from Latin fortis strong
Date: 14th century
1 a (1): strength or energy exerted or brought to bear : cause of motion or change : active power (2)capitalized —used with a number to indicate the strength of the wind according to the Beaufort scale b: moral or mental strength c: capacity to persuade or convince 2 a: military strength b (1): a body (as of troops or ships) assigned to a military purpose (2)plural : the whole military strength (as of a nation) c: a body of persons or things available for a particular end d: an individual or group having the power of effective action eoften capitalized : police force —usually used with the3: violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing4 a: an agency or influence that if applied to a free body results chiefly in an acceleration of the body and sometimes in elastic deformation and other effects b: any of the natural influences (as electromagnetism, gravity, the strong force, and the weak force) that exist especially between particles and determine the structure of the universe5: the quality of conveying impressions intensely in writing or speech

And they define nature as:
Main Entry: na·ture
Pronunciation: \ˈnā-chər\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin natura, from natus, past participle of nasci to be born — more at nation
Date: 14th century
1 a: the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing : essence b: disposition, temperament2 a: a creative and controlling force in the universe b: an inner force or the sum of such forces in an individual3: a kind or class usually distinguished by fundamental or essential characteristics 4: the physical constitution or drives of an organism; especially : an excretory organ or function —used in phrases like the call of nature5: a spontaneous attitude (as of generosity)6: the external world in its entirety7 a: humankind's original or natural condition b: a simplified mode of life resembling this condition8: the genetically controlled qualities of an organism9: natural scenery

Now that's a lot of verbage. After wading through both definitons, I came up with this definition for "a force of nature":

An individual or group having the power of effective action and a creative and controlling force in the universe.

This defintion worked for me. Before I was never quite sure whether being called a force of nature was a positive or negative thing, I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is positive. I can get behind having the power to effect creative forces in the universe.

So how did this lovely thought process come to pass? I was driving around as I said earlier and happen to spot on Dora a green space called "Force Lake". I went to check it out and found a lovely little little lake near a golf course full of ducks and geese and other wonderfully cute birds that I couldn't identify. I parked in one of the turn outs and walked Dobby and admired the scenery. I would have loved to sit on the rocks with my hubby and watch the birds. He wasn't there, but I did happen to have a letterbox in my card. It is called Always. The stamp image is inspired by Amy Brown and was the image on an LTC before it became a letterbox. If you stand in front of the warning sign, walk along the rocks 11 steps, step over the rocks onto a stray rock and look back towards the rock wall down low, you will find a pair of fairies enjoying the view.

I have chosen NOT to list this box on AQ. It is a bonus for those that read my blog. Please do NOT list it, even as an unlisted box.

Happy trails,
Maiden