Musing

today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park

walk report: -2C/28F, last night’s snow still blowing to stiff north wind tune under blue moonless sky; Gusta negotiated drifts along the lagoon, plunging shoulder deep, then, still flailing – breast-stroking to get through it – invigorating for her, hilarious for me

beauty, may be in the eye of the beholder, but where does failure live – by whose judgment is failure defined?

critics challenge political foes asserting ‘….they failed to….’ when no one had failed at all; different people with different views approach issues, problems and goals as they do life, from different directions for different reasons with vastly different outcomes in mind – but not one of them would call it failure if they accomplished what they wanted

strong forces tug - geo-political forces, marketing campaigns and politicians wanting their way – strong forces tug at us to be something - parents want children to grow up to be something, as if ‘something’ is a definable goal; making something of oneself is something most of us do in some way – but few people shout if from rooftops; most spend lives of strength, character and purpose in obscurity without recognition, praise or celebrity

life’s journey is different for everyone; for some, arduous, for others it appears to be smooth and easy; obstacles along the way will be plentiful without extra effort from me so as I struggle – trying not to lose sight of goals – tending every-day task flow, making a living, attending to personal needs, family responsibilities, community involvement, friend making, friend keeping, living, loving, cooking, eating . . picking things up, setting things down, flailing, gathering crap or bounty, tending goals – easy to give up, let go or stop – what then gives me (and most of us) the will to go on when others don’t; are they weak, how did they struggle, what caused them to give up, to elect to struggle no more?

weakness does not equal failure, nor does failure mean weakness (ie: the only weakness of a good toothpick is that it is not as strong as an iron nail, but who wants to pick their teeth with a nail?) is not about understanding anything about anyone; sadly, we gloss over or move by most people we encounter without learning very much

in ourselves and in others, we could celebrate effort as much as success, struggle as much as victory, initiative as much as winning - not as antidote for dreams not realized, but as recognition we all have value; we are all icebergs, 10% or less of our substance revealed to the world, remainder hidden beneath the surface, seldom revealed

Mark Kolke
339,316


... with your voice, teach in order to learn


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