Cathartic

I'm using the word cathartic more and more these days when referring to this blog. At first I would say, "It is kind of healing or cathartic". Then I thought; hey wait a minute, doesn't cathartic mean healing? Well... not according to the Meriam-Webster dictionary.

¹ca·thar·tic    adj      \kə-ˈthär-tik\

Definition of CATHARTIC

: of, relating to, or producing catharsis <cathartic drugs> <a cathartic experience>

— ca·thar·tic·al·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of CATHARTIC

1. There's something cathartic about a punch in the nose. —Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 28 Jan. 2002
2. But Vietnam is hard to sell as a tidy, cathartic morality tale of troubled times overcome. —Jennifer Homans, New Republic, 2 & 9 Dec. 2002
3. Many veterans, at first reluctant to speak, ultimately uncorked their emotions in a cathartic explosion. —Stanley Karnow, New York Times Book Review, 22 Nov. 1992
4. It provokes no healthy tears, whereas Cervantes never fails … to open the cathartic floodgates. —Anthony Burgess, Homage to Qwert Yuiop: Selected Journalism 1978-1985, 1986
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Origin of CATHARTIC

Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin catharticus, from Greek kathartikos, from kathairein (see catharsis)

First Known Use: 1612

ca·thar·sis         noun \kə-ˈthär-səs\

plural ca·thar·ses \-ˌsēz\

Definition of CATHARSIS

1: purgation

2a : purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art b : a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

Hugs, Debbie... aka the cancer warrior

LIVESTRONG: 

I AM STRONG. I AM LOVED. I AM HEALTHY. WE WILL WIN!