what are we really talking about?

lately, i've observed myself asking the same question, over and over and over again, like a curious kindergartner, building her bourgeoning vocabulary from the ground up:

"what does that mean?"

or, "how are you defining _________"?

for most every word we choose and use, there are a litany of "official" definitions
ascribed to it, and then an infinite variety of nuances, associations, concepts and assumptions overlaid atop it's academic meaning which are then infused by our own personal filters and projections.

shared definitions are actually extraordinarily rare.

the disparity is a beautiful opportunity for us to dialogue our way towards deeper understanding, and shared intimacy, as long as we're bold enough to acknowledge our ignorance (as in, "i don't know what that means"), and present and curious enough to dive into the rabbit hole of inquiry, and to follow its sometimes bumpy and winding path to the inevitable sparkle of truth that eagerly awaits our discovery.