Why this word is great
ELNING — [Noun] Comfort or grace, especially that which is derived from encouragement or consolation. From Middle English elning, elnung, from Old English elnung ("encouragement, comfort, consolation, emulation, zeal, envy"), derived from elne ("zeal, courage") + -ing (noun-forming suffix). Unlike "solace" (which dwells in grief's shadow) or "grace" (which drifts heavenward), elning is earthbound and kindled by human hands—the steadying grip on a friend's shoulder before a daunting task, the dog-eared letter folded in a pocket for strength, the quiet emulation of another’s courage that stirs your own. It is the ordinary alchemy by which we make life bearable for one another, and sometimes even bright.