today’s Musing written and published from
Morning walk: 11C/52F, mountains visible, bathed in sunshine, on the horizon; light overcast, warming up . . woo-hoo . .it might be a nice weekend, Gusta sniffing something strange she can’t see (possibly the coyote I saw yesterday) as we walked late, neighborhood quiet as the early rush is over, everyone’s gone off to work . . .
Every day we do things – but do we ever pause to ask, what is the reason, why do we do it? Whoever we are, unless we are newborns or at the very other end of life, shouldn’t there be a reason?
Understanding why a writer writes, a painter paints or a singer sings – is to appreciate something that is part artful expression of who we are, part exercise of a talent and to no small degree, performing for those who might appreciate the effort, talent and message.
Each day – like canvas – each page commands originality; something originally, and worthy of investing ink and time, for writer and reader. If a message is unclear or point not valuable – why do it? What we do, we do for a purpose or for someone - don’t we?
In other pursuits, sometimes I wonder, where is the motivation for floor sweepers, box schleppers or moronic telemarketers? Are they not potential artists, sculptors or authors too? I have no need to appreciate grit-groty stuff – but rather something considering.
Perhaps to spur an action, or inspire someone to use an kinder word when ordinarily an unkind one would do – or maybe to have us see someone . . . perhaps of low-station in life, see that person more purely as someone worthy in ways we’ll never know, someone who pulls weeds from their garden as well as their neighbor, someone who deals with their messes of life, who has/endures/celebrates tragedies and joys of life – as much as the next person.
The next person . . . or my dear friend; each time we connect with someone, talk to someone, shake a hand or nudge shoulders, we find them.
The next person I meet, the next person I talk to, the next person in line at the check-out, the next person . . . is no better than me, surely they are not, but then they are not less than me either. We all have value, so why don’t we see it?
From the most mundane routines of domestication or the routines of work-a-day droll, there has to be a reason. Do we do it just for a paycheck, is it just a vehicle to get their daily bread and pay rent? Of is there a purpose that causes us to do our thing, one thing – career, job, business, venture – that is identifiably ‘the reason’ that we do it?
High-points for me last evening: bread making (French bread, 3rd time’s the charm) last night was spectacular après-game (Celtics lost NBA 7th game of series to Lakers) activity – though indigestion this morning suggests I ate too much of it . . . and editing sweet piece by my dear friend Frances and posting it on 360boom – check out THE DARKER SIDE OF GECKOS which I recommend you read - you’ll learn more about people than about lizards.
~~~
OR NOT - archived poetry
Change of thinking,
heart, plans or directions,
in my experience,
emerge and submerge,
ebb, then flow based on
beating pace of heart
or heat of two hearts
in sync or not
aligned or not
for life or not
like a damsel waiting
for her knight or not
night after night
or not, dreaming he
might be some kind of
Lancelot, or not.
~~~
Mark Kolke
321,676
RESPONSES/COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME; send to: dailycolumn@markkolke.com
June 17 Comments
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE – I really like your quote 'art must take reality by surprise". Reality is your rock to sculpt. You are what you love, not what loves you, and you love your writing. You are first a writer and in so doing, are a sculptor of reality...that is how I see your musings which give your readers an avenue to give thought to their lives. SY
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE - Good morning soggy
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE – I love how the placement of the comma (Take Me, By Surprise as opposed to Take Me By Surprise) changes the meaning – very you!!!!, SB,
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE - Couldn’t resist telling you how much I enjoyed ‘Lagoon Reality’. As for the rest, by a certain age “...sabotaging themselves without need to ...Silence. Ignoring/avoiding. Disconnecting. Running from it.....” Sabotage in the form of silence, ignoring/avoiding, disconnecting, running from it are perfect ways to handle those situations that obviously will not contribute positively or at all, especially when there is so much that already does. Yes, and I know you already know that. JW – Calgary/Cochrane
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE - I just got a chance to check emails etc. was intrigued by your musings today. Referring to the comment about standing on the edge waiting for a wink or a wave from life and wanting to be startled by it, also referring to the voices of pessimism and criticism which continually chat in our heads - what happens if you just jump in? startling for sure, sometimes the shock our unexpected dive into the life that sits in front us makes the voices stop altogether in sheer surprise. in those moments when they hush are the moments when our true essence dares to poke its head out and who knows what will happen! the startling moments just continue. Hope you are getting in some golfing weather, DL, Calgary, AB (on a trip to NC)
June 17 - TAKE ME, BY SURPRISE - Waiting for your wave; It seems that I have had no time to stop, no time to pause, no time to listen. I'll miss that wave if I don't stop. Thank you for checking on me because I have been missing my daily musings. I don't want to disconnect, because I connect with so much of what you write, JK,
Comments