distractions

  There are stories, songs and poems that speak to of each us. They touch something inside us and we just agree. There is no discussion, no other view taken, it is just acceptance. They are the ones we return too, time and again. Some will say we hear something new each time, but that isn't the case with me. I hear the same message and that agreement, that acceptance of truth remains. If there comes a time when it doesn't, that story, song or poem gets relegated to just a fond memory. Just something I used to know. An example of that, for me, is a song recorded by George Jones, Choices. He didn't write the song and it had been offered to him several times over the course of six or seven years. He rejected it saying, it isn't me. Finally, when he was 70 and working on his album titled "The cold hard truth" he did hear that song and knew it was him. 

 I think that happens to us all, stories, songs and poems change over time. Our understanding of them changes and we accept or reject them. What we are accepting and rejecting is a philosophy. Philosophy, from the ancient Greek, means the love of wisdom. Wisdom is gained by experience, knowledge and sound judgement. It does take time to accept that, to learn and accept your truth. When someone else can express your truth the connection is made. For me, the song Choices speaks to what could have been. We all wonder about that as we get older. The what ifs' of your life. It's a mental exercise I enjoy when I find myself alone with my thoughts. It's not a regret, not a sadness, nothing like that, just a musing. A musing that amuses. 

 The saddest songs have always made me happy. I can't explain that any other way. Those songs, stories and poems that express the deepest emotions, the ones of sorrow, are the ones I smile about. Perhaps it is because I agree with those sentiments, have experienced them and moved past them. Perhaps a professional would tell me that it is a sign of maturity, which would amuse me, I don't think that is a term that really should be associated with me. I don't think of myself as mature, just experienced. As for wisdom, well I don't get to gauge that, that is solely up to others. 

 In that song there is this phrase; " living and dying with the choices we made" and that sums it all up for me. That is the cold hard truth and I think that is what George Jones realized at that point in his life. It was an acceptance, it was him. What others have chosen to do, what others may or may not have done, has nothing to do with you. It is the choices you make! Today we hear about influencers a great deal. Their "job" is to get you to make the choices they want you to make. Buy that product or support this cause, whatever the case may be. The truth is everyone you know, everyone you meet and interact with attempts to influence you. I'm doing that as I write these posts. 

 Now we can't go back and make a different choice so there is no sense is worrying about that. The choices we make after the fact always work out great, have you ever noticed that? We do have to deal with the consequences of our choices, no avoiding that. We do that by making more choices. That's where the wisdom part comes into play. Did you learn from that last choice? Well I think it isn't so much what we learn as what we admit to knowing. Just why we ignore our own wisdom I can't yet explain. Maybe we are just the victims of a bad influence! I was often warned about those sort of people when I was growing up, I don't want you around him/her, they are a bad influence. They were also usually the most fun to be around. One of life's little ironies.

 Stories, songs and poems. All meant to deliver a message. The authors are attempting to influence your thoughts, to create a scenario, a picture for you. They are attempts to explain emotions, the why of them. The hope is that you will connect with that, gain an understanding, see it, not from the authors viewpoint, but from your own. That's when we say, it speaks to me. It is your own voice you are hearing. The wisest among us listen! It is a lot harder to do than it seems it should be. You can't be taught that, you have to learn it. You have to make that choice. My hope is one day I will learn to listen, until then I'll just keep on talking. It's just that there are so many distractions. 

                                              I suspect George was just having too much fun.