I’ve been playing with the word “worthless” and the results were more than I expected.

It seems “worthless” is a pejorative word that indicates useless, unless you parse it differently.

Suppose you make it two words instead of one: worth less.

If something or someone is “worth less,” that means it or they still retain some worth.

Think of an aging basketball player. At one time they were worth more, not only in monetary terms but also in their contribution to the team. They could run faster, jump higher and, perhaps, score more points. Now they fill a different role but still contribute worth – just less.

When you deem someone worthless, you have negated any worth they may still have to offer. Is there a role they can still play? Is there a way they can still contribute to your life?

I don’t pretend to know the answer to those questions, but they may be worth our exploration.

We may just discover that a worthless person is worth more than we think.

All the best,

John