It seems a little weird to look up a simple word that I already know so that I can write about it. I looked up “static” to see not just its meaning but also its synonyms, thinking perhaps one of them would inspire me for the WordPress daily prompt challenge. The dictionary says that static is “lacking in movement, action or change, especially in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting.” Static has the synonyms unchanging, unvarying, stable, steady, fixed and constant among others.
The problem with relying on synonyms for meaning is the nuances or subtle differences of meaning like those that came after the word especially in the definition of static. While the words stable and steady have positive connotations, to be static may be considered undesirable or boring.
The word static reminds me of the word inert. Inactive. Doing nothing. Inert matter stays at rest unless it is acted on by an external force. An object can be static indefinitely unless something or someone makes it move.
There are times when lack of movement or change is desirable. When I was growing up, we moved a dozen times. I wanted my home life to be stable and unchanging and it wasn’t. As an adult, I’ve learned that change is unavoidable and that change is often desirable or necessary even if changing is not your choice.
There are times when it isn’t good to be static, when we should resist keeping things the way they are. For me, now is one of those times. I do not accept the way things are going in my country. I will not normalize vile, racist behavior. I am not inert. I want to be a force for change, even if it is just with words.
Innermost Being 