Word Search

I've been searching for just the right word lately and have found myself reading the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology and the Oxford English Dictionary. My mind grows dizzy as I page back and forth between the two, tracing the origins and relationships of words that I usually just take for granted.

What prompted this (re)search? Recently I stumbled upon the concept of lectio divina, the close attention to and prayer/meditation on a single word or passage from the Bible. It's very similar, I think, to the practice of repeating a mantra of one syllable or word during meditation. I'm trying to replace some of the self-defeating words that reside in my head with more affirming ones, hence my search. (By the way, why isn't "f**k" in Chambers?)

Here's a sampling of some words I like, pieced into a series of collage vocabulary cards.