T For Torschlusspanik, The German Way…

Wow! Can’t believe that I’m doing the 20th letter already! When I started out, I was a bit worried if I would be able to find words that relate to some emotion/feeling we experience for every letter in the alphabet. But, I was also determined to not give up, and browse intensely until I find one for the day. Today’s word is torschlusspanik (pronounced like this), a German word, which means the fear we experience when time is running out.

We have all experienced torschlusspanik in our lives multiple times, haven’t we? When exams are the next day and there’s a lot to finish, when we are stuck in a traffic snarl while we have a flight to catch in a short time, filling out forms at the last minute for a scholarship, tons to do before that important presentation next day–it could be anywhere, anything! You get the feeling, right? I’m a huge procrastinator and hence this is a feeling I experience every now and then. Sometimes, it’s the feeling others/well-wishers have for us. For instance, when we are getting old and yet haven’t found the perfect match to settle down our parents/relatives panic because time is running out. Again, if we have been married for several years and don’t have children, our parents once again press the panic button reminding us that our biological clock is ticking! We have all been there and today we know the exact word to describe the emotion–the fear and panic!

The origin of the word also has an interesting story behind it. In medieval times, it was believed that city residents in Germany experienced panic if they couldn’t reach the city before it got dark as the city gates would close and they would be locked out. This was also felt during times when there were attacks on the city. However, it is used in a very different context today. A word that originated in Germany but is experienced everywhere!!

When have you experienced torschlusspanik recently? Eager to hear your stories!

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. Join me as I explore the roller-coaster world of emotions the whole of this month. Here’s my previous post on emotions, starting with the letter S, in case you missed it.