Maria von Trapp, please meet David Letterman and Merriam-Webster.  You have often graced us with your uplifting song, “… these are a few of my favorite things.” May I share with you a top-ten list of my favorite words, each the embodiment of a profound concept I cherish in my life?

1. Life
2. Freedom
3. Light
4. Faith
5. Integrity
6. Infinity
7. Identity
8. Innovation 
9. Compassion
10. Redemption

As often is the case, I find brevity to be more difficult than verbosity.  I place high value on many more concepts, but for today’s few moments of personal introspection, here is my short list.  What’s yours?

The photo below is of the Blohm & Voss 141, a concept aircraft produced for the the German air force, or Luftwaffe, during World War II. Despite its several advantages for the tactical reconnaissance role for which it was commissioned, this airplane “didn’t make sense to the German High Command, possibly simply because of its appearance,” dooming the project.

Talk about trying to stuff square pegs into round holes!

Yesterday, after I posted about square pegs in round holes, my daughter sent me the classic “Think Different” quote embodied in this video:

Interestingly enough, the video talks of “round pegs in square holes,” not the other way around as the idiom was originally conceived. How apropos! Think different(ly)!