Deja You

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Good morning. This is Lori Jo Stratty.

Hi.

And I’m calling in from far northern Michigan up in Petoskey.

What’s on your mind?

I am hoping your listeners can help me think up a new word to describe the following phenomenon, which often occurs when you see a really dear friend whom you haven’t seen in decades. This happened to me again two weeks ago when I attended a camp reunion in northern Michigan. I was so excited to see my canoe partner from my childhood that I hadn’t seen in 40 years.

40 years.

Canoe partner.

40 years.

Canoe partners.

You know, over logs, under branches, you know. So my initial reaction when I saw her was pretty typical. I was shocked at how old she looked to me, and undoubtedly I looked really old to her, too. But what happens is, like, within a few minutes, the spirit and twinkle of your old friend starts coming through, and it’s like the face in front of me melted away and was replaced by her younger self. I was really seeing her as she was 40 years ago.

Many of us talked about that thing. I was asking questions to people, are you having the same experience? We all said yes. And what is the word we could use to describe that phenomena?

Wow.

Yeah, that’s an interesting one. That’s a great description of it. It is always a big shock. So there was a reason you were friends back then, and that’s still there. That essential, whatever that magnetic force was is still there that connects you. And everything else melts away.

Possibly. Everything else melts away. And I think it’s the shared experience from a long time ago. And then it sort of brings forth in them what I saw then and loved. Their essence.

Yeah, their essence. And it literally transforms their face.

That’s amazing. And you’re looking for a nice one-word wrap-up for this.

Yes. I have racked my brain.

Yeah. Laurie Jo, I have one expression that’s come to mind. I’m not aware of any existing one, but I have a suggestion for you. Take it or leave it.

Yes.

What about Deja You?

Oh, my gosh. That is fabulous. I knew we’d have a portmanteau. I love that.

That works for you, huh?

It’s fabulous. Yeah, that really works for me, and plus it’s understandable. It’s accessible.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And what I love is that you’ve encapsulated this experience that we all have. And I think that’s one of the great things about coining new words is when you wrap your mind around some phenomenon that you haven’t really wrapped it around before. And it can be contained in a single word. And that’s why I think maybe this one, déjà vu.

So is that, what is that? That’s the experience itself is called déjà vu?

Sure.

Yeah, I’m having a case of déjà vu looking at you. And it’s a mix of emotional and it’s visual. It could also be auditory.

Exactly. It’s definitely primed. It’s a visual experience that I think is overlaid on an old emotional connection.

Nice.

Yeah. Well, I’ll tell you what. We have a lot of listeners who love language with a lot of energy, and they love to coin words as well. And I’m sure that they’ll send us several for this. They may already have words that they’ve coined themselves.

All right?

Yes.

That sounds great. And thank you for sharing the memories, too. That’s just the best part of it as well.

Thank you both.

Cheers.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Okay.

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