Musing

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

distribution of Musings through our list-service provider has resumed, glitches sorted out, still much to re-work rebuilding the data and re-sorting lists but ‘resumption’ of publication today makes me happy

walk report: -1/30F, brilliant sun crept over rooftops while we walked; not-working-today types sleeping in, bird chirps and garbage truck machinery the only sound, Gusta was calm for a change

good day, good Friday and - for many - a Good Friday; my project du jour is to bake bread (I’ve never done that before) for a dinner PB and I are hosting tomorrow (20 hungry people) - little silence

to those who remain silent, who never write, never call, never come by to visit – please, on this day, do this: if musings has meant something to you, if any of the spokes on our marvelous wheel of conversation has engaged your brain more productively, touched your funny bone or your heart, please don’t always be silent

my experience, five years now, spilling this ink on paper daily has taught me more than the previous fifty-one; it has built me up, knocked me down to size, amazed, enlightened, shocked, disappointed, hurt, angered and brought joy – to me and to readers – as we’ve shared our collective energy around thoughts, issues and experiences many of us share

most readers remain silent most of the time, many communicate back with me by wink, nod, phone or face-to-face - often when least expected; many times the hand of a stranger has come out of a crowd to shake mine or tap on my car window, to say ‘hey, I’m a muser’ - some have just come and gone, some have become extraordinary friends, colleagues, clients; some have become co-conspirators on projects too; others open an email each day and just come along for the ride

today begins commencement of my 6th year writing this daily column, another day of speaking my mind, asking questions, creative juice, spirited discussion and life-altering experience for me; this day six years ago there were only 8 of us – the initial group of musers – 7 of you and one of me; that day I got responses from KK, JJ, KF, MP, SC, MdP - the 7th . my daughter CK responded verbally from the next room; 100% response that first day was heartening . .and it’s been all downhill from there (too many others to thank directly today but special thanks to KT and FD for your support, mentoring and friendship)

seriously, though many hundreds have come and gone, many have stayed . . witnesses to my life, friends and supporters – your responses, feedback, critique, blasts and rebuttal have been anything but silent, have pushed me, helped me, thrilled me and, far more often than any writer ought to have, gave me a gift I could never have asked for – one I’ve been regularly and awesomely amazed by

many of you I’ve gotten to know well, others – we are new or we’ve just scratched the surface of what may become fantastic friendships, collaboration .. or spirited conflict

your gift to me has gone beyond feedback; sometimes in words typed and sent, sometimes on the phone and more often in person .. some of you have conveyed something incredible to me by telling me something I wrote, or some thinking I provoked, made a difference in your life – in that you’ve given me a gift I cannot give away or lose – perhaps some learning I re-gift from time to time with a smile on my face because you gave it to me - you had the right to remain silent but you didn’t

thanks for that

Mark Kolke
339,328
197.6

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


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