Ever since the American Dialect Society began selecting a Word of the Year in 1990, various organizations have chosen words that capture the spirit of the times.
In 2025, ADS chose “slop.” The Cambridge Dictionary chose “parasocial.” Oxford University Press chose “rage bait.”
That is all well and good for organizations looking to get a few minutes of media attention by riding the popular trends, but it is no good for those of us who care about how we focus our minds.
If you look through the last quarter century of words chosen by ADS — “Not!,” “chad,” “Y2K,” “dumpster fire,” “fake news” — you realize that it’s all slop.
Words have all kinds of functions. They can describe, implore, command, but more than anything else, they direct our attention. In fact, neuroscientists have found that the words we use can change the expression of genes in our brains. If you want to be a better person, a good place to begin is with the words you use.
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That’s why I like to think about old words, words that have a rich history, words that take us out of the popular cultural trends and connect us with something deeper and more meaningful, something substantial and not trivial.
During the season of Lent, I’m trying to think every day about old words like “devotion,” “reverence,” “sacrifice,” and “contemplation.”
Old words have old roots, and diving into those roots connects us with our ancestors, reminding us how they structured their lives and what they thought was important. It puts our own lives into a broader and deeper context, something that is sorely needed when the world seems to be spinning ever faster and it feels like we have less control over our own thoughts and emotions.
The word devotion comes from a Latin word for “vow.” It is closely tied to the idea of sacrifice, dedication and reverence. To be devoted to something means to be dedicated to that which one considers greater than oneself. It usually implies making a solemn promise or a pledge. We call a person who exhibits such dedication “devout.”
Over the years, I have had the good fortune of knowing many who are devout, humble people whose faith is deeply rooted in their character and expressed in their daily interactions with others. They are people who care deeply.
A person of devotion is someone you can trust because you know where they stand when the chips are down.
The opposite of devotion is a preoccupation with the superficial. One who lacks devotion typically lacks grounding. They may have any number of interests, but nothing for which they would be willing to sacrifice themselves.
There is a qualitative difference between that which we really like and that which we care deeply about. In our reflective moods, we observe that difference, and we know that we were made for more than an endless string of amusements.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “Our conversation is in heaven,” which suggests to me that the ultimate purpose of our lives is to turn together with God and others in a state of mutual devotion. The image that comes to mind is of a huge potluck dinner, serving and being served in turn.
But as I recall the potlucks of my childhood, with rows of Jell-O salads and Rice Krispies bars, I think, whatever heaven is, it cannot be that. Still, within those recollections, there resides a feeling of living in a community of people who cared for and about one another. No matter the inadequacies of our terms of service, it is the care itself that is most valued. We are genuinely happy only when we know we are loved and can return that love in kind.
It is easy to become so distracted by our private concerns and interests that we leave no room in our lives for that which is worthy of our devotion. How easy it is to be too busy to pray, too busy to visit a friend, too busy to provide food for those who are hungry or shelter for those who are cold.
That is why it is good to take time now and then to reflect on the words that direct our attention to what is meaningful.
Ask yourself sometime, what words do you want to appear in your obituary? I bet none of the latest “words of the year” will be on your list, but you might want some old words to appear there.
What higher honor could one have than to be remembered as a person of devotion?
Richard Kyte is director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., and co-host of "The Ethical Life" podcast.
Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His new book, “Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way),” is available from Fulcrum Books. He also cohosts “The Ethical Life” podcast.
