AISLE

AISLE

First of all, that’s one of those funny-looking words, once you write it.  Three-fifths of it is vowels, two of them silent.  You really could get by with “ile”-----don’t you love English?!?!?

I’ve been thinking about this word lately.  It started a few years ago, listening to a news story out of Washington, talking about Congress.  You’ve heard similar stories many times, how legislation gets bogged down when Congressmen can’t agree, and there is no cooperation “across the aisle.”  Cameron sagely replied, “They need to get rid of the aisle.”

Interesting word.  There are aisles in churches, aisles in theaters, aisle in grocery stories.  In Walmart they put displays of bargains in the center of the aisle.  People walk down the aisle, people are rolling in aisles.  Wiktionary (just learned Wikipedia had that resource) lists these definitions:

1. A clear path through rows of seating.
2. A clear corridor in a supermarket with shelves on both sides containing goods for sale.
3. Any path through an otherwise obstructed space.

I wonder about the word itself.  So similar to “isle”, which implies isolated, alone, surrounded by a barrier.  Could it be that A-isle is the opposite?  Anti-isle?  Together, in a group, not isolated?  Can’t prove any of that from the limited research I’ve done, but makes me wonder.

So, anyway, back to Congress-----they really do seem to do most everything depending on which side of the aisle they are on.  Democrats vote one way, Republicans vote another.  Which one will “win” the House or the Senate?  Will the President be from the same party as the one that wins?  The message is clear-----nothing is going to happen unless everyone is on/from the same side of the aisle.

And this Presidential-election year, I’m more in tune than ever to the messages I’m receiving about how I should vote.  ESPECIALLY from well-meaning Christians.  I mean, either it’s “how can a Christian vote for anyone but a Republican----I mean, we all KNOW, that’s the Christian party…..” or “Jesus would vote Democrat, because He CARED about people.”  ARRGGGH!!  I’m sticking to my usual plan, and no one will know who I’m voting for-----keeps me out of a lot of awkward conversations, from people who feel it is their responsibility to change my “wrong thinking”.

I keep saying I need a third candidate, another choice.  In multiple races.  Two choices isn’t enough.  It’s not black and white, it’s gray.  It’s not right or left, it’s more in the middle.  It’s not Democrat or Republican, it’s middle-of-the-road.  And if Wiktionary is right, it’s definitely “clearer” in the aisle, where there are no obstructions.

Yep, Cameron’s right.  I’m voting for the aisle.