I have been amused lately by the revival of the term “stoked”. Although I might be old enough to be their father, I am fortunate to have more than a few friends that are twenty-something. I think this helps keep me young, as long as I don’t try to compete with them at sports! They, it seems are stoked more and more these days. I also, noted on my daughter’s facebook page that she is now stoked too about a variety of things.
I too became stoked about some things and decided to do a little research about being stoked. I started naturally with the question, what does stoked mean? The first source a Google search produced was The Urban Dictionary which listed the following as the number one definition.
“Stoked” – adjective – to be “stoked” is to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilarated, or excited about something. Those who are stoked all of the time know this; being stoked is the epitome of all being. When one is stoked, there is no limit to what one can do. Also, “stoke” – verb – one can “stoke” oneself out by facing challenges or by revving up an engine within oneself to accomplish that which one desires. *being too stoked just means that you’re still not stoked enough*
I have to admit to last part of this definition had me a little confused and I finally concluded that the writer may have “toked” before defining “stoked”.
Although a little older than most of my stoked friends, this experience of years gives me more knowledge to pull from. You see I actually learned to stoke as a child.
Yep I’ve been stoking since before some of you were born!
A closer look at the word Stoked from a more traditional Merriam-Webster dictionary revealed the following definitions and examples.
Stoked, stok·ing
transitive verb
1: to poke or stir up (as a fire) : supply with fuel
2: to feed abundantly
- The engineer stoked the coals.
- The new ad campaign has helped to stoke sales.
- Poor revenue figures have stoked concerns about possible layoffs.
I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised to discover that like a lot of things in our culture today, stoking used to be an action but now seems to be just a feeling. Now days we all seem to be more interested in being stoked as opposed to actually stoking something.
You see I learned to stoke at an early age while camping with my family. Most of the people I have camped with as an adult will readily tell you that I can not only get a fire going quickly but stoke it so it will burn all night. I find this art of stoking to be an advantage in all areas of my life. I understand it takes preparation and work to get something going and that it will continuously need to be stoked if it is going to keep on going. This knowledge keeps me from running here and there looking for something or someone to stoke a good feeling in me.
So after reviewing what I know about feeling stoked and being stoked I find myself pondering a couple of questions.
First, if I am only a consumer of feeling stoked, what is it that gives me this feeling? I mean really, what or who are you allowing to stoke you?
Second if you are a stoker, and I hope you are, what are you stoking? Is the effort you put into stoking merely a self-indulgent exercise? Or Are you stoking things in your life and others that will change the world?
Please take time to comment here on What Stokes You and What You are passionately Stoking!
