Saturday, May 28, 2005
Saturday May 28, 2005, Year 3, Day 69 time to take some more musing
+6C, clear, sunny, calm
. . .
loooooooooooong walk this morning . . . did stairmaster hill & stared down the creek from the new bridge. . . Gusta met doe & fawn again on the way back . .
. . .
I often post quotations here – finding great words written by or said by someone significant; I enjoy the wisdom that flows sometimes from the words of an Edison or an Einstein or Thoreau etc. etc . . . but sometimes I think I use the words of others as a crutch to some degree – looking to those quotes to guide me rather than examining exactly what ‘I am feeling’ rather than looking for guideposts in other people’s words
. . .
just as children & dogs teach us more than we could ever teach them, I am wondering about this ‘risk/reward continuum’ I find myself in . . often meet others who are doing the same
. . .
we risk because we want reward, we risk yet we fear failing, we risk but hold back – fearing failure of course, but also fearing unknown territory
. . .
when circumstances take us to the unknown territory we go . . without hesitation; be that a friend or family member in difficulty of some kind, responding to an emergency, responding to ‘something that is happening to me’ . .
. . .
but do we respond to the opportunity to risk as swiftly, without deliberation & consideration of risk factors ? whether my dog bites the head of a dandelion seed for the first time not knowing what will happen or stumbles while racing down a hill to steep to run down – there is a recklessness & adventuring mode I would love to copy
. . .
maturity, experience, aging & a brain to consider consequences – all advisable things – get in the way of freely acting on instinct, impulse & whim
. . .
ask yourself this – I did: ‘When is the last time you did something on instinct, impulse & whim to do something you have never done before without any information about the risk/reward consequences of your action ? ”
. . .
I cannot recall any since I fell out of a tree while harvesting dead branches for a bonfire at a bush party – in Fish Creek Park no less – at the end of May 1969 . . . probably this weekend in fact 36 years ago; being somewhat 'under the influence' at the time no doubt saved me from serious injury
. . .
this recollection did not come from high school grad memory jogging; simply the last time I can recall that I took an truly dangerous impulsive & un-calculated risk
. . .
maybe its time to take some more
. . .
I’ve been taking calculated ones only ever since; while my calculations have often been askew, there is no question I have acted on many impulses & responded instinctively to many circumstances pushed my way or thrust upon me . . but to truly with abandon wander into uncharted territory with the gusto of Gusta, with the curiosity of childhood . . it’s been a while
. . .
I’m off to a breakfast meeting . . . have a great day
. . .
Mark
343,120
. . .
loooooooooooong walk this morning . . . did stairmaster hill & stared down the creek from the new bridge. . . Gusta met doe & fawn again on the way back . .
. . .
I often post quotations here – finding great words written by or said by someone significant; I enjoy the wisdom that flows sometimes from the words of an Edison or an Einstein or Thoreau etc. etc . . . but sometimes I think I use the words of others as a crutch to some degree – looking to those quotes to guide me rather than examining exactly what ‘I am feeling’ rather than looking for guideposts in other people’s words
. . .
just as children & dogs teach us more than we could ever teach them, I am wondering about this ‘risk/reward continuum’ I find myself in . . often meet others who are doing the same
. . .
we risk because we want reward, we risk yet we fear failing, we risk but hold back – fearing failure of course, but also fearing unknown territory
. . .
when circumstances take us to the unknown territory we go . . without hesitation; be that a friend or family member in difficulty of some kind, responding to an emergency, responding to ‘something that is happening to me’ . .
. . .
but do we respond to the opportunity to risk as swiftly, without deliberation & consideration of risk factors ? whether my dog bites the head of a dandelion seed for the first time not knowing what will happen or stumbles while racing down a hill to steep to run down – there is a recklessness & adventuring mode I would love to copy
. . .
maturity, experience, aging & a brain to consider consequences – all advisable things – get in the way of freely acting on instinct, impulse & whim
. . .
ask yourself this – I did: ‘When is the last time you did something on instinct, impulse & whim to do something you have never done before without any information about the risk/reward consequences of your action ? ”
. . .
I cannot recall any since I fell out of a tree while harvesting dead branches for a bonfire at a bush party – in Fish Creek Park no less – at the end of May 1969 . . . probably this weekend in fact 36 years ago; being somewhat 'under the influence' at the time no doubt saved me from serious injury
. . .
this recollection did not come from high school grad memory jogging; simply the last time I can recall that I took an truly dangerous impulsive & un-calculated risk
. . .
maybe its time to take some more
. . .
I’ve been taking calculated ones only ever since; while my calculations have often been askew, there is no question I have acted on many impulses & responded instinctively to many circumstances pushed my way or thrust upon me . . but to truly with abandon wander into uncharted territory with the gusto of Gusta, with the curiosity of childhood . . it’s been a while
. . .
I’m off to a breakfast meeting . . . have a great day
. . .
Mark
343,120
