Musing

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20C(on the way to 30+)/68F, Gusta & I had a calming walk on our regular path, uneventful, beautiful, no surprises

we are out of control, hurtling through space & time; no precision, no decision; no rights, no lefts, just hurtling forward, speed bumps, occasional brick walls & distractions everywhere

we have no control you see, I have no control, you have no control

surprises, come without notice

the only things we can change, with any real effect, are the choices we make; the analysis of this vs. that, yes vs. no, maybe vs. not-ever; we can change our vantage point, how we view what is happening & then we can make reasoned choices with the information we have

the spectrum of choices we have is both wide & narrow; we have limitless control but over a very narrow spectrum of things

someone recently taught me this phrase: ‘he needed to leave early’; the context was discussion about someone who committed suicide inexplicably – I liked the phrase & have chosen to use it a number of times in discussions about people who die before their time, who exit without rhyme, without reason, without notice; people who quit before their work is done – without leaving a note, a reason, an alternative

I like it

it does not explain anything, but seems to ease acceptance of that what we cannot change, it offers comfort I think when things happen, when people leave – leave without notice

how inconsiderate of the world to give me surprises without notice

do surprises come in some other form?

MW, friend & muser, is on a path he cannot control – a difficult path for anyone who is strong, decisive & used to being in control of what is happening, where he is going, where he is leading – but failing health of a family member puts him into a new role, a challenging one for the CEO (chief of everything officer) encounters a problem he cannot solve

a boss once told me that I could not be promoted unless I recruited a successor – he inspired me to train someone to do my job & I was promoted; I’m not sure that is a rule of the universe but at least he inspired me to teach someone so he didn’t have to

one person’s epiphany: ‘I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.’ – Rosalia de Castro

MW, your dad trained a successor; it appears he will have to leave early, but I suspect he feels he has trained you well & prepared you for all kinds of surprises except the one that looms in front of you now

Mark

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