w: using strengths 
w: understanding weakness
Etymology: The origin of this symbol and spectrum
The “w” of strength was also recent, stemming from my love’s cancer. We had no strength, as I had also been quite ill and I was barely recovering. We had so little power over our situation, over our lives and choices. So we both needed to draw the loops on the “w” and hold on to any remaining strength, any shred of dignity and power left to us.
Yet, often this would go, and we would acknowledge our frailty with thin lines of smoke, wisps of energy that escaped the “w.”
Orthography: How to remember these symbols
The loops in the “w” can be seen as dumbells, as weights on the ends of the we, lifting in strength.
Likewise, the little frail lines coming off the “w” can be viewed as those dumbbells evaporating—I only have enough strength, enough power to lift a ribbon—not a 40 pound weight.
Philosophy: How I use these symbols to embrace life
I trace and retrace the “w” of strength, visualizing my talents, my power, my resources. What do I have to face the situation, to address the problem?
As I write the “w” of frailty, of weakness, I see the wisps of energy leaving, and I then rewrite/retrace to pull those tiny bits into me, to gather whatever strength I can back into me—bit by bit.