If ever at a loss for words
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a video series, is the brainchild and masterpiece of John Koenig, who can best be described as a 'wordsmith'. This series features beautifully thought out words invented by Koenig to fill a gaping void in the English language for emotions left undefined. The short videos are around two and a half minutes apiece, each showcasing a unique, yet identifiable perspective that resonates deep within. Below are some of the words that are most relatable.
Ambedo: A moment you experience for its own sake
This visually stunning video depicts how "Everything is struggling just to exist". It's that feeling when you stop looking for deeper meanings, stop yearning for something else – something greater or more powerful – and just appreciate the moment at present as it is. It serves to remind us, "You too are a guest on this Earth whose life is not just a quest, an opportunity, or a story to tell."
Klexos: The art of dwelling on the past
Our past is like indelible ink; permanent, yet, never truly dried. The ink retains its fluidity, as the video shows how it could splash onto a new canvas and be spread to draw a different picture, or even shape another existence. Our past becomes inevitably morphed by the way we contemplate it.
Koinophobia: The fear that you've lived an ordinary life
Shot primarily on a toy-like model, the video delineates how small our life can seem when we take a step back and try to analyse it. At times, everything, even the things that may have once appeared great, vibrant and vast, shrinks to something trivial, bland and plain insignificant. Koinophobia sets in as we meditate our ordinary lives.
Lutalica: The part of your identity that doesn't fit into categories
In the larger scheme of things, we often find ourselves shelved under different labels. In this, there are some labels where we comfortably fit in, while some we struggle to accept. We come to confront 'lutalica' when we find pieces of ourselves that don't belong under the general identities. This creates a sense of wonder about the people around, how they might be beyond their labels, and as the video suggests, "You look around at other people, trying to judge how loosely they fit into their own lives, sensing a knot of confusion hidden beneath a name tag."
Zenosyne: The sense that time keeps going faster
"It's actually right after you are born that life flashes before your eyes," the video commences. When we are young, we live in the moment because there are no other moments to escape to. We spend aeons just observing the world, taking it all in. As we set ourselves to the grooves of time, we find it flying. And soon enough, the interval between each birthday seems to get smaller with every passing year.
With a keen eye and a broken brain to mouth filter, Mahejabeen Hossain Nidhi has a habit of throwing obscure insults from classic novels at random people who may or may not have done anything to warrant them. Drop her a line at mahejabeen.nidhi@gmail.com