brow

The word brow carries several meanings – the eyebrow, the brow or top of a hill, the forehead and even a person's countenance or mien. This latter word means the air, bearing, or demeanor of a person, as showing character or feeling or other such things. It seems I learn many things when I wander around in the book of meanings.

The usage that started this missive in motion is the one meaning the forehead. In this case it would seem that the word brow would belong to a gentler, more chivalrous, age that has long passed us by. An example sentence would be – I asked my loved one to hold a cool cloth upon my fevered brow whilst I regurgitated in yon porcelain basin, she did so and it seemed so caring, so compassionate and so much like just the other night – but I feel better now.

The brow doesn’t seem to show quite the range of emotions as the rest of the face and in fact joins in very little with a big smile. It does wrinkle up when faced with the inquisitive, such as the ‘how’. One can enjoy the ‘how’ unless it is taken to the extreme, such as, how did that tiger get in here? The brow is also enlivened by the ‘wow’! Let me state right here that I enjoy being wowed by the creations and critters God made. The geese are back in the area today and are in and around the banks of the pond. Even saw one in the yard next door – all are doing their best to fertilize the soil of the entire area – wow!

A more sinister thing that makes the brow expressive is the scowl. This is defined: to draw down or contract the brows in a sullen, displeased, or angry manner. Not only does this not look good to others, it doesn’t really feel good to the scowler. That being said, we have all come in contact with those that seem to enjoy the expression and the emotions therewith involved. It did occur to me that another thing a person could have on their brow was a scow – a much weightier matter indeed that could prove to be somewhat or even slightly fatal – if that’s possible.

A scowl on the brow is sometimes followed closely by a row. The third definition and usage of the word, it means a noisy dispute or quarrel or commotion. When I have heard the word used, it sounds like the word ow with an ‘r’ attached. A word that is fun to pronounce but not to be involved in is a ‘brouhaha’, which means about the same as a row, but is a happier way to say it – one had to be there.

Sometimes expressed in the brow is the ‘ow’ – of course the entire body usually joins in with the ‘ow’ expression and comes to the aid of the body part involved most closely in the ‘ow’ experience. It is odd in a way that one can bash a fingernail and it makes the whole body hurt and even do weird things to try to relieve the pain. The body seems to be a team with all members working for the betterment of all other members. Sounds like the kind of team that all we humans should be on – especially Christians – and all working for the betterment of others around them.

My wish for you is that your ‘ow’s be few and that the ‘wows’ you perceive from God’s creation be many. ec

PS - The sleep study did show that I have sleep apnea and I'm awaiting doctors reports to be completed in order to obtain a CPAP machine to help in this respect. Tests continue on the other problems with nothing definitive as yet.