“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
2011 is just underway. I’m 25 years old. But the question at hand is what compelled me to start a blog? The answer to this question and the explanation of who I am will emerge with the future of this effort. But let me begin with a very broad and brief attempt to engage you in my life.
Let’s start with the quote. For the intuitive among you, I am sure you have already tied the meaning of the quote to the purpose of this blog. I believe that personal reflection is essential to achieving …enlightenment, peace, self-actualization, happiness – call it what you want (and I will get into that later) but it is what we are all searching for. I also believe that people do not practice self-reflection enough. It’s very easy to get caught up with the demands, activities, and realities of life. The time to question “why?” is often replaced by the prescient need to “act”.
I think amazing, thought provoking things happen to us all every day. Whether our minds are open enough to realize it, is the real question. This goes back to perspective (which will be a meta-theme in this blog) and how I am continually trying to broaden my perspective.
Back to the impetus for the blog. Each day I find myself experiencing things that deeply affect me. The best way to understand and learn from these is to share these experiences with others. I often and try to talk with my family and closest friends about certain experiences that resonate with me but I want to continue this form of expression. Additionally, I am an aspiring writer and this will help me refine my ability.
Going against my reputation for long-winded speeches, the format will be defined by shorter and more focused entries. While I will be the author, my hope is that this will be a dialogue with those involved. I can assure you that I will not only be willing, but eager to discuss any of these postings in more depth. Furthermore, I would welcome the chance to speak with anyone that would like to contribute (photos, guest posts, etc.).
So without further hesitation, I am entering the arena and encourage you to join.
As I mentioned the other day, Einstein noted that God played a cruel trick on him. He said that he, who had been bucking authority all his life, had come to the point in his waning years where he was ironically an authority by virtue of his knowledge. Perhaps the trick is to recognize that if we habituate examining our lives, we will never be diluted by the notion that we are an authority. In essence, the concept not knowing and, by default, the constant self questioning you suggest in your blog, is the ultimate freedom. Only that "ignorance" allows for imagination. And, to quote Einstein again, "Imagination is more important that knowledge." ... Olds
ReplyDeleteJust makes me want a steamy aromatic sweet cup of latte....savor the moment....
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