Better to hold your tongue...
Lately I've been growing impatient with people and their interpretation of the world, mainly because it's my belief we're living in a period that history will look back on as an era of monumental change socially, economically and politically. I'm not sure anyone ever fully grasps, while entering an epoch of a new period, the tremendous significance of what they are passing through, understanding fully what is happening in that moment of time. That includes me, although I am aware we are in historical passage, how it will transpire is not in my capacity to view while living within it.
Since I am convicted we are moving through an age of unique characteristics that seems so obvious to me, my frustration is twofold. First, my natural curiosity is to know what I cannot possibly know and that is what the present will bring forward to the future. Secondly I am intolerant of the time it takes for other people to see what I do, and conversely I'm aware there are others who see more than I do. On the former I want to impetuously tell people that I consider them late at arriving to conclusions that seem obvious to me. This is not only arrogant but would be an exercise in futility if carried out. People arrive at their own awareness at their own time in their own way. It is not for me to determine when that it is.
I'm reminded of the advice my father used to give me, which he himself had to struggle to follow: "Son, sometimes the best time for you not to say anything at all, is when you feel as if you absolutely have to. It will wait and come out a whole lot better if you do."
I just wrote am almost intelligent response. Blogger ate it up.
ReplyDeleteThat is cool.
All I wanted to say was that your father's words are wise (though difficult to put into practice), that I totally agree with you that we are in a major historic moment right now, that I think whatever we do or say to aid or extinguish it is exactly what we are supposed to do, that our hopes and wishes hopefully come true, that hoping and wishing is probably futile, that I love the "surprises" the sun and the mountains and everything else gives just as I love the things that seem constant, and that I take comfort sometimes in the thought that our actions and words might be essential and at the same time am warmed by the idea that maybe none of them matter.
Lest you think wonder has become nihilism, I assure you I am voting. Like I said, I have to. :)
Cool post, JR! I sometimes get sick of thinking. Not here.
PS-the word verification thing just showed up as "oustr". Being me, I'll smile and take that as a sign of good things to come.
Your observations, (those not eaten by blogger) are insightful and thought provoking in ways even more than you may realize. For some reason I not only grasp your intent but they also cause my mind to wander into other areas. It's the kind of wandering that doesn't make my head hurt from thinking.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking this election may be one of the few where an individual voter can cast his vote and feel it has more meaning than it has in a long time. Some may call that dreaming.