Day 194: Force - The Good, The Bad, The Downright Ugly

Again, I am looking at the Word Force and this time adding an expanded dictionary definition as well as an etymological definition.

1. strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
   "he was thrown backward by the force of the explosion"
   

   synonyms:

   strength, power, energy, might, effort, exertion;

   antonyms:

   weakness

   • PHYSICS
     an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. The magnitude of such an influence is often calculated by multiplying the mass of the body by its acceleration.
     
   • a person or thing regarded as exerting power or influence.
     plural noun: forces
     "he might still be a force for peace and unity"
     

     synonyms:

     agency, power, influence, instrument, vehicle, means "a force for good"

   • used with a number as a measure of wind strength on the Beaufort scale.
     "a force-nine gale"
     
2. coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence.
   "they ruled by law and not by force"
   

   synonyms:

   coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, oppression, harassment,intimidation, threats;

3. mental or moral strength or power.
   "the force of popular opinion"
   
   • the state of being in effect or valid.
     "the law came into force in January"
     

     synonyms:

     effective, in operation, operative, operational, in action, valid "the law is now in force"

   • the powerful effect of something.
     "the force of her writing is undiminished"
     

     synonyms:

     cogency, potency, weight, effectiveness, soundness, validity,strength, power, significance, influence, authority;

     antonyms:

     weakness

4. an organized body of military personnel or police.
   "a soldier in a UN peacekeeping force"
   

   synonyms:

   body, body of people, group, outfit, party, team;

   • troops and weaponry.
     plural noun: forces
     "concealment from enemy forces"
     
   • a group of people brought together and organized for a particular activity.
     "a sales force"
     
   • informal
     a police department.
     noun: the force
     
5. BASEBALL
   a force-out.
   
   • a situation in which a force-out is possible.
     

verb
verb: force; 3rd person present: forces; past tense: forced; past participle: forced; gerund or present participle: forcing

1. make a way through or into by physical strength; break open by force.
   "they broke into Fred's house and forced every cupboard door with ax or crowbar"
   

   synonyms:

   break open, burst open, knock down, smash down, kick in "the door had to be forced"

   • drive or push into a specified position or state using physical strength or against resistance.
     "she forced her feet into flat leather sandals"
     

     synonyms:

     propel, push, thrust, shove, drive, press, pump "water was forced through a hole"

   • achieve or bring about (something) by coercion or effort.
     "Sabine forced a smile"
     
   • push or strain (something) to the utmost.
     "she knew if she forced it she would rip it"
     
   • artificially hasten the development or maturity of (a plant).
     

     synonyms:

     extract, elicit, exact, extort, wrest, wring, drag, screw, squeeze "they forced a confession out of the kids"

2. make (someone) do something against their will.
   "she was forced into early retirement"
   

   synonyms:

   compel, coerce, make, constrain, oblige, impel, drive, pressurize,pressure, press, push, press-gang, bully, dragoon, bludgeon;

   • rape (a woman).
     
   • BASEBALL
     put out (a runner), or cause (a runner) to be put out, at the base to which they are advancing when they are forced to run on a batted ball.
     "I was forced at second base as the first half of a double play"
     
   • (in cards) make a play or bid that compels another player to make (a particular response); make a play or bid that compels (another player) to make such a response.
     "East could force declarer to ruff another spade"
     

Origin
Middle English: from Old French force (noun), forcer (verb), based on Latin fortis ‘strong.’

Etymological Dictionary Definition 

force (n.) 

c.1300, "physical strength," from Old French force (12c.) "force, strength, courage, fortitude; violence, power, compulsion," from Vulgar Latin *fortia (source also of Spanish fuerza, Italian forza), noun use of neuter plural of Latin fortis "strong" (see fort). Meaning "body of armed men, army" first recorded late 14c. (also in Old French). Physics sense is from 1660s; force field attested by 1920.

force (v.) 

c.1300, from Old French forcier "conquer by violence," from force (see force (n.)). Its earliest sense in English was "to ravish" (a woman); sense of "to compel, oblige" to do something is from c.1400. Related: Forced; forcing. 

As I wrote out in a previous blog, I have been living the Word Force as though there has been a stronger power than me, outside of me, making me do things regardless of whether I want to do them or not.  With the process of writing and self-forgiveness in regards to Force, I have realized that there is no force outside of myself that is making me do anything.  I mean, even if someone was holding a gun to my head in an attempt to force me, in the end, it would still be my decision of whether I would do something or not.  And from a physics stand-point, someone or something can physically move me depending on the mass and strength of the force.

In reality though, there is no one individual or outside force that is physically motivating me to do anything and it's clear that the Word Force is a word that I have been living out in my mind and not in real physical time. 

I am also adding that I have been seeing the Word Force as mostly as a negative word and when it comes up, I experience fear and then go right into resistance and avoidance. When looking at the definitions it is clear why because I have attached the word Force to things that I fear like: Rape, Violence, Physical Pain, Negative Military and Police Activities, Breaking, Coercion, and overall manifesting something into existence that is not best where there is no choice in matter. Another point that I would like to investigate is how, when I have said or thought about the Word Force, that I have had this strong physical presence that quickly rises within me like an in-breath where I have a body experience of becoming focused, solid, and determined in a way that pushes outward in to my external environment.  And finally, I see that there aspects of the Word Force that I like or that give me a positive experience - specifically in-relation to Force as Strength where when I see Force in the light of Strength, I experience a happiness, a hopefulness, a sort of relief or a sense of momentary freedom from all the the negativity that I have attached to the Word Force.

So in the next post I will be going into writing self-forgiveness for what's coming up for thoughts, imaginations, beliefs, reactions, fears, and behaviors in relation to the Word Force. Followed by writing out my plan for self-correction and self-commitment within no longer allowing myself to be influenced or moved by this word as something outside of me or separate from me. Then, I will share my living definition of the word which is how I will be living out the word via my physical movement and self-directed action, equal and one with the word.