My Wayward Mind

It's been a long time since I've published a blog. You'll notice I said "published" which is to say that I've written quite a few drafts but lost myself somewhere in the middle of each one and could bring myself to finish any of them. I don't know where my mind has been. As is typical for me the desire to write is there but the inspiration, or muse, or whatever you want to call it is somewhere else. So that's my excuse, enough of that.

I've been reading a lot of other peoples blogs today and all of the themes of the recent posts seem to be related, if indirectly, in my view. Mr. Oles has been writing about problems with the American government and how they are related to the deeper issue of the problems with the national, if not global, mindset. Another blog I read had a video of a George Carlin set which, while making light of the issue, was a commentary on how our society has gotten to the point where it revolves almost entirely around the acquisition, accumulation, and protection of stuff. The third blog I read was my big brother's most recent entry in which he describes a lesson from a friend one evening in the art, philosophy, and practice of calligraphy.

I find that, in my mind, the philosophy behind the practice of calligraphy is almost completely at odds with the philosophy, if it can be labeled as such, behind the accumulation of stuff. While the latter can be most basically described as a mutated instinct of survival, the former can be described as a form of meditation, or a path to it. It is a practice of peace, simplicity, tranquility, and a lesson in patience as well as humility. I think that it is possible that the panacea that Mr. Oles is looking, or maybe just hoping, for is an enormous advancement in the mindset of humanity as a whole, a facet of which can be represented, in a very small way, by the philosophy experienced recently by Luke.

I believe that this advancement is coming, one way or another, for it seems to be nothing more than a step on the evolutionary path for humanity if it is to survive. How soon is anyones guess. It is a thing which shows its' face every now and then in small ways. There are, and always have been, small sects of people looking and striving for it. Attached to this large mass of awareness are tendrils of ideas which lead to the whole and are in evidence in such forms as the green movement, religious and racial acceptance, efforts to find an answer to overpopulation, and the myriad forms of meditation. These manifestations can only be the beginnings of a much larger movement but their acceptance at this stage will be necessary before their manifestations at the next will become even remotely possible.

These a but a few facets, tiny and imperfect, of a whole that is for us, as of yet, out of reach. It is a goal. It is a key of unfathomable complication, organic and changing, to a lock even more complicated that we must hope to pick in order to open the door to perception of a better world on the other side. We're not there yet. We might not even be close. There are a great many striving for it and a great many standing in the way. It is the ultimate game. It is the game where everything in existence has an effect and plays a role.

Here's to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even for those who aren't governed based on this piece of paper.