Thursday, January 18, 2018
My Goal Is NOT To Change You
By: Donovan Baldwin
When I first put my comments here, on Blogger and social media, independent comments as opposed to comments on other comments, I was not sure what my goal was.
I wanted to write, and I wanted someone to read what I wrote, but, I had no larger goal than that.
Then, "that" happened. I HAD readers, and I was faced with a new choice.
Should I use these platforms to exercise mind control over my readers, amuse and amaze them, or, with blinding words and brilliant wit, offer them advice on how to live their lives (the big temptation)?
After some thought (I won't tell you how much or how little), I decided that I like you pretty much the way you are, and don't really have any major desire to change you.
Yet, that "advice" thing still nudged at the back of my mind, and my ego. So, after some thought, I decided to mainly talk about me and my thoughts, my musings, errant and otherwise, and out loud. I could tell you what I was feeling, thinking, remembering, and, if you liked it, you could respond or move on.
What I have found is that a lot of what I say resonates...not with everyone or every time, but, one human telling a story about themselves reminds another of a similar story, or provokes a thought about life or self.
Kind of like neighbors at the back fence chatting.
I like that.
I like hearing from friends.
Join me?
I wanted to write, and I wanted someone to read what I wrote, but, I had no larger goal than that.
Then, "that" happened. I HAD readers, and I was faced with a new choice.
Should I use these platforms to exercise mind control over my readers, amuse and amaze them, or, with blinding words and brilliant wit, offer them advice on how to live their lives (the big temptation)?
After some thought (I won't tell you how much or how little), I decided that I like you pretty much the way you are, and don't really have any major desire to change you.
Yet, that "advice" thing still nudged at the back of my mind, and my ego. So, after some thought, I decided to mainly talk about me and my thoughts, my musings, errant and otherwise, and out loud. I could tell you what I was feeling, thinking, remembering, and, if you liked it, you could respond or move on.
What I have found is that a lot of what I say resonates...not with everyone or every time, but, one human telling a story about themselves reminds another of a similar story, or provokes a thought about life or self.
Kind of like neighbors at the back fence chatting.
I like that.
I like hearing from friends.
Join me?
Labels: advice, change, comments, donovan baldwin, goal, social media, thought, writing
Thursday, January 11, 2018
The Thoughts of Great Thinkers
By: Donovan Baldwin
I have, over my 72 years, read the thoughts of many "great thinkers".
I have found one thing common to many of their "great thoughts".
Often they do not contain "answers" per se. Often, what they do is cause the reader, listener, to look within themselves, and, at the world around them, and...think.
That's why there are more works interpreting the thoughts of great thinkers, than books BY great thinkers.
Maybe they are great thinkers, NOT because they think great thoughts, but, because they realize that there are more questions than answer.
One person cannot have all the answers for everyone, and the task assigned them in the Universe is to encourage us to think for ourselves.
I have found one thing common to many of their "great thoughts".
Often they do not contain "answers" per se. Often, what they do is cause the reader, listener, to look within themselves, and, at the world around them, and...think.
That's why there are more works interpreting the thoughts of great thinkers, than books BY great thinkers.
Maybe they are great thinkers, NOT because they think great thoughts, but, because they realize that there are more questions than answer.
One person cannot have all the answers for everyone, and the task assigned them in the Universe is to encourage us to think for ourselves.
Labels: donovan baldwin, great thinkers, reading, thought, thoughts
Monday, September 18, 2017
Examining Unbrewed Thought
By Donovan Baldwin
I hope no one who reads my often early morning ramblings, coded as "BC", expects deep thought.
After all the "BC" could stand for "Before Cogitation" despite actually meaning "Before Coffee".
Honestly, my intention is to, in most early morning cases, examine my thoughts while they are still, like the coffee, "unbrewed", as it were.
Normally, our thoughts get massaged, and messaged, as we move through our days. They get layered over with "facts", real and unreal, information, opinion, and our own thinking process.
It's not that I consider these morning musings to be somehow "more pure" in some way, as I am curious, about what the brain is really chewing on before it gets served its daily dose of caffeine and variouls meals and snacks.
I have to honestly say, that, sometimes, there ain't much meat there.
On the other hand, sometimes I find jewels in the residue of my night's sleep or yesterday's leftover cogitation.
I am one who enjoys the hunt, the creation, the creative process. That's why I have a notebook, and several index cards, which I carry around in my shirt pocket, that are filled with notes and ideas about things I would like to say, on the table beside me.
I think one of the lessons I have learned from writing these morning musings, and others throughout the day, is that THIS is where a lot of my ideas come from.
I stir up the pot of thought-grounds, pour a little typing-water over them and "Voila!", richer, fuller thoughts, and poems, that come later in the day.
Caution, writer brewing thoughts...
After all the "BC" could stand for "Before Cogitation" despite actually meaning "Before Coffee".
Honestly, my intention is to, in most early morning cases, examine my thoughts while they are still, like the coffee, "unbrewed", as it were.
Normally, our thoughts get massaged, and messaged, as we move through our days. They get layered over with "facts", real and unreal, information, opinion, and our own thinking process.
It's not that I consider these morning musings to be somehow "more pure" in some way, as I am curious, about what the brain is really chewing on before it gets served its daily dose of caffeine and variouls meals and snacks.
I have to honestly say, that, sometimes, there ain't much meat there.
On the other hand, sometimes I find jewels in the residue of my night's sleep or yesterday's leftover cogitation.
I am one who enjoys the hunt, the creation, the creative process. That's why I have a notebook, and several index cards, which I carry around in my shirt pocket, that are filled with notes and ideas about things I would like to say, on the table beside me.
I think one of the lessons I have learned from writing these morning musings, and others throughout the day, is that THIS is where a lot of my ideas come from.
I stir up the pot of thought-grounds, pour a little typing-water over them and "Voila!", richer, fuller thoughts, and poems, that come later in the day.
Caution, writer brewing thoughts...
Labels: coffee, donovan baldwin, thought, writing
