As most of you know by now, this voyage was undertaken to clear my head of accumulated trash, replacing it with higher order thought. To that end, God and I have been arguing quite a bit. Rather I've been arguing, God hasn't been saying much. Or maybe I'm just not hearing.
Now I come from a family of arguers. If arguing were an Olympic sport there would be multiple medallists in my lineage. And, in case the IOC ever recognizes argumentation as an athletic discipline, we have steadfastly maintained our amateur status. There's not a lawyer in the whole damned bunch!!
Heaven forbid that any of us become professionally trained in argument, e.g. litigation! No, we wouldn't want to sully ourselves with filthy lucre in that way.
In fact, filthy lucre, or wealth of any kind seems to have pretty much escaped the grasp of me and my siblings. That was fine for my parents' generation. Most of our forebears were teachers or preachers, professions where poverty carries a certain dignity, almost a cache'.
But I digress.
Thoreau was likely correct when he said "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." I, on the other hand, have chosen a more active form of desperation. When everything is going just fine, I'll find a way to upset the apple cart. At least it keeps life interesting.
But then, Hank (Henry David Thoreau) didn't take the advice of his buddy Wally (Ralph Waldo Emerson) who kept saying 'Hank, too much solitude ain't good for a guy' or words to that effect. They talked funny back then.
But solitude, lack of internet access and not one shred of NPR news for a month or so really does clear the mind. Mine is now a blank slate, fertile ground for inspiration. Let's hope it's inspiration that strikes. Remember what Ben (Franklin) said: "An idle mind is the devil's playground."
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Now, now...how wonderful to have the time to clear your head. Usually, me being of somewhat (she smiles) stubborn nature herself, I often don't hear anyone, including God speaking.. (She of course is hysterical!) I always find out later that I just wasn't listening or that "She" is laughing at me when I awake with what I believe to be a fabulous plan....only find that my plan are nixxed because evidently there is anpother plan already laid out that I seemed to have no knowledge of! Ah! and that starnge thing that happens to many of us....just when things are going well...we mess them up...my refuge has been hiding under a rock until I feel it safe to exit!
ReplyDeletePS...I can have a bottle of ketchup in Troy in a few hours or so!!! Be safe my fearless sailor friend, take safe harbor when needed...no heroics, please...and I'll see you on the East Coast....Doctah V. :-)
Silence opens a new world, does it not? Just be still and listen for the answers. They're in there.
ReplyDeleteYeah Don... I don't know about the arguing with God thing. It never seems to work out well. You either hear no response and figure you're not listening correctly or you hear a response and fear for your sanity. Perhaps your journey may not give you solid answers from above, but a renewed energy to tackle lifes' challenges in the future, which is a gift from God.
ReplyDeleteAlso, doesn't practically everyone coast along only to screw things up on their own. I know that I suffer from the same affliction. We're all human, we're weak vessels that can't help but dink around with a basically good thing.
I have another thought on the whole clear the head idea. What happens if after stripping off layer upon layer of accumulated psyche trash, you discover that you are an...onion. Have fun Don...just think, while you are clearing your head, I'm adding another few layers to mine.
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