Metamorphic Tao

Annie Kruger had not seen her mother Hannah or her older sister Betty for several years. Annie's aunt and namesake, Hannah's sister Annie, was turning seventy. The Friday before Aunt Annie's party, Annie had flown in from New Mexico to Birmingham, where Hannah and Betty lived. They picked up Annie from the airport, and then the three of them drove up to Nashville for Aunt Annie's surprise party.

On Facebook a friend jokingly told me I’m “a very moderate conservative liberal.”

That prompted me to think about the word “moderate.”

As an adjective it can mean “not extreme, excessive, or intense.” As a noun it can mean “a person opposed to extreme views and actions, especially in politics or religion.” As a verb it can mean “to become less violent, severe, intense, or rigorous” or “to act as moderator; preside.”