NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Whether it’s writer’s block or what, I don’t know; but at times it’s difficult to come up with new ideas for a weekly column. I asked Mrs. Griz for ideas and said it might be time for Griz to retire, but she had other ideas.

The vacation idea sounded good, but then she suggested another method of picking a column topic which sounded a bit challenging. She suggested closing my eyes, opening up Webster’s Dictionary and blindly putting my finger on a word and then writing about it.

I was a bit hesitant to tryit, but she brought out the dictionary and told me to close my eyes, open it anywhere and put my finger down on a page. I agreed to do it but was afraid of the result. I felt kind of like the guy who tried to determine the will of God by using that method with the Bible. According to the story I was told, on his first attempt, this man’s finger landed on the verse which said Judas went out and hanged himself. When he questioned his methodology and tried again, his finger landed on the words, “Go and do thou likewise.”

Though I questionedthe wisdom of choosing a column topic with such a foolish method, I tried it. With eyes closed, I opened the dictionary and placed my finger on a word and definition. Just so you know I didn’t cheat, I’ll tell you that I wasn’t wearing my reading glasses and couldn’t decipher the word until I put them on. Mrs. Griz had already read my choice and thought it had possibilities. I wasn’t so sure.

What was the word? It was “junior.” I thought another more-lengthy and uncommon word might have worked better, but my finger landed on junior. What can I say?

Junior is an old word dating back to the 13th Century. It’s based upon the Latin word “iunior” which was a comparativeform of “iuvenis” which described a young man and later came to describe the younger of two men; hence, the use of junior and senior in differentiating between a father and a son with the same given name.

Of course, it is also used to describe the younger or inferior partner in a business relationship or those of a lower class; thus again, schools often have junior and senior classes.

Well, though I have a good number of sons - nine, if my count is right - none were named after me; there are no juniors there. I’m beginning to feel too old to be a junior myself and already qualify for senior discounts insome establishments.

It’s been a long time since I was in a junior class - or even in a senior one, for that matter.

Since the Latin term was at one time used to describe young menachieving the age to serve in the Roman military, it couldn’t apply to me. The military recruiters I talk to just laugh when I offer to sign up. I guess I’m too senior to be junior.

Since I’m not in a business partnership, I can’t be called a junior partner.

In my marriage to Mrs. Griz, I’m the senior partner - at least for three months of the year. She catches up to me in age ... today.

In intelligence, I sometimes treat her as my junior partner; but that’s a rather unintelligent thing to do.

And, perhaps I should consider, too, that she duped me into picking a column topic by opening the dictionary and blindly pointing to a word. I suppose that accepting her challenge just might make me her junior when it comes to intelligence and wisdom.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by email at rmoll@nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/20/2012