I have spent the majority of my life being an observer. I have done what I felt necessary to do and kept moving forward. Not having concentrated my efforts on any great scheme or plan I now question the wisdom of having done so. I think perhaps that is why I have begun to chronicle that time, the time I call my past. I can not return to that past and alter it, all I can do is remember. I'm not complaining, don't misunderstand me, I'm doing what I have always done, observe.
There are times when we all sit outside of ourselves and just watch. At least it has always been that way for me. I have been able to detach myself from things, if only for an hour or so, and look inside. Over the years I would occasionally attempt to write down those observations or emotions. I never took those endeavors as anything bit whimsy. I did send a bit of prose to the local newspaper once where it was printed in the letters to the editor section. Truth is, they would have printed anything that was sent to them. I wasn't aware of that then, but am still proud to have had it " published. " Yes, I'm counting that as a publication. That tiny bit of prose precipitated a time in my life that ended in sorrow, but that is another story altogether. I've had nothing published since. I haven't submitted anything either.
Almost six years ago I began writing these blogs. I was inspired to do so by an old acquaintance. The truth is, it was a memory more than an acquaintance. The person that I drew that inspiration from had attended the same high school as myself. I remembered the name and associations were made. I was connected to my little home town once again. I began to write. My thought was I would write about my thoughts and memories. I have since discovered that I have more thoughts, than memories. That stems from the fact that I am an observer. If I had done more perhaps the opposite would be true. I just haven't done much I think memorable. Memories are emotion and never really shared. What is shared is the story. Stories are composed of fact and observations. Those facts and observations may stir emotions in others, inspiring an emotional response, but the memory is not shared. Each memory is uniquely ours.
It is a difficult thing to share your observations without causing controversy. That is because it often comes off as " preaching. " Stating your analysis of a situation is often met with dissention. The reason is an obvious one, the other person doesn't have your point of view. Often it is not a question of right and wrong, it is just a matter of perception. We all have that tendency to believe what we " see. " Magicians, or illusionists if you prefer that term, make a living off of that. So do politicians and preachers ! Magicians fool the eyes, but preachers and politicians alter your perceptions. Magicians entertain us with what we know can not be, politicians and preachers want us to believe their vision of what is. The truth is we are all preachers, politicians and magicians. We all want the others to believe what we see. It is the manner in which we attempt to accomplish that, that defines us.
The case could be made that I am a preacher. I do have a penchant for telling others about my observations. I also rarely change that view. That is simply because I believe what I see. That is the preacher in me, belief. Politicians tend to be fluid in their beliefs. The magician will just outright trick you and take pleasure in doing so. I believe that some things never change. Politicians will tell you everything changes over time. The preacher and the politician. The magician doesn't even care. All three are important and dependent one upon the other. When all three see that, peaceful coexistence is possible.
There are times when we all sit outside of ourselves and just watch. At least it has always been that way for me. I have been able to detach myself from things, if only for an hour or so, and look inside. Over the years I would occasionally attempt to write down those observations or emotions. I never took those endeavors as anything bit whimsy. I did send a bit of prose to the local newspaper once where it was printed in the letters to the editor section. Truth is, they would have printed anything that was sent to them. I wasn't aware of that then, but am still proud to have had it " published. " Yes, I'm counting that as a publication. That tiny bit of prose precipitated a time in my life that ended in sorrow, but that is another story altogether. I've had nothing published since. I haven't submitted anything either.
Almost six years ago I began writing these blogs. I was inspired to do so by an old acquaintance. The truth is, it was a memory more than an acquaintance. The person that I drew that inspiration from had attended the same high school as myself. I remembered the name and associations were made. I was connected to my little home town once again. I began to write. My thought was I would write about my thoughts and memories. I have since discovered that I have more thoughts, than memories. That stems from the fact that I am an observer. If I had done more perhaps the opposite would be true. I just haven't done much I think memorable. Memories are emotion and never really shared. What is shared is the story. Stories are composed of fact and observations. Those facts and observations may stir emotions in others, inspiring an emotional response, but the memory is not shared. Each memory is uniquely ours.
It is a difficult thing to share your observations without causing controversy. That is because it often comes off as " preaching. " Stating your analysis of a situation is often met with dissention. The reason is an obvious one, the other person doesn't have your point of view. Often it is not a question of right and wrong, it is just a matter of perception. We all have that tendency to believe what we " see. " Magicians, or illusionists if you prefer that term, make a living off of that. So do politicians and preachers ! Magicians fool the eyes, but preachers and politicians alter your perceptions. Magicians entertain us with what we know can not be, politicians and preachers want us to believe their vision of what is. The truth is we are all preachers, politicians and magicians. We all want the others to believe what we see. It is the manner in which we attempt to accomplish that, that defines us.
The case could be made that I am a preacher. I do have a penchant for telling others about my observations. I also rarely change that view. That is simply because I believe what I see. That is the preacher in me, belief. Politicians tend to be fluid in their beliefs. The magician will just outright trick you and take pleasure in doing so. I believe that some things never change. Politicians will tell you everything changes over time. The preacher and the politician. The magician doesn't even care. All three are important and dependent one upon the other. When all three see that, peaceful coexistence is possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment