Tuesday, November 07, 2017
A Redneck Who Likes Greek Art And Mozart?
By: Donovan Baldwin
I've done a lot of stuff in my 72 years upon this sometimes unsteady Earth.
I was raised in the era of John Wayne and imbued with the macho, "real men don't cry", principles of the time. I've spent 21 years of my life in the military and did other rough, not-so-beautiful things such as construction and truck driving.
Somehow, I also managed to develop a love for words, literature, philosophy (some of it), and poetry.
I became enamored of Greek statues, Renaissance art, classical music, boot-stompin' Country-Western, and folk ballads.
It's sometimes difficult to reconcile all these personalities within myself, and, sometimes, people meeting me, seeing just one facet, assume that's who I am. Sometimes, they're surprised to find out that this roughneck, redneck, prefers to listen to Mozart.
I ate C Rations and MRE's in the army. I can eat beans out of a can by a fire with the guys, or I can (usually) select the proper fork at the Governor's dinner (if he or she ever invites me).
Having been around, I don't think this is unique to me.
People are often unbelievably complex.
Assuming that we know and understand the person we've just met, based on a few moments of contact is absurd.
It took years of experience, education, failure, success, pain, and pleasure to make that person in front of you into who they are.
We are not going to "learn" them in minutes.
I was raised in the era of John Wayne and imbued with the macho, "real men don't cry", principles of the time. I've spent 21 years of my life in the military and did other rough, not-so-beautiful things such as construction and truck driving.
Somehow, I also managed to develop a love for words, literature, philosophy (some of it), and poetry.
I became enamored of Greek statues, Renaissance art, classical music, boot-stompin' Country-Western, and folk ballads.
It's sometimes difficult to reconcile all these personalities within myself, and, sometimes, people meeting me, seeing just one facet, assume that's who I am. Sometimes, they're surprised to find out that this roughneck, redneck, prefers to listen to Mozart.
I ate C Rations and MRE's in the army. I can eat beans out of a can by a fire with the guys, or I can (usually) select the proper fork at the Governor's dinner (if he or she ever invites me).
Having been around, I don't think this is unique to me.
People are often unbelievably complex.
Assuming that we know and understand the person we've just met, based on a few moments of contact is absurd.
It took years of experience, education, failure, success, pain, and pleasure to make that person in front of you into who they are.
We are not going to "learn" them in minutes.
Labels: being a man, classical music, country western, donovan baldwin, Greek statues, John Wayne, Renaissance art
