The Thought for the Day – March 20, 2016
The reader becomes a fellow pioneer with the poet. – Walter Dain
The writer/reader relationship is very interesting. The writer creates something from the heart. The reader reads it and gets to know the writer on an utterly unique level and seldom do these people meet.
…a fellow pioneer…
This is an excellent term to describe the writer/reader relationship. Books or columns are not movies or songs: there are no remakes. Everything written comes from something deep inside a writer because he has something to tell you. Any writer not writing from the inside out isn’t writing, he’s typing.
It’s said if you really want to know a writer, read their work. This is so true because writers share things on the page they might not share over lunch. Don’t take it personally. Writers write; it’s how we say what we feel needs to be said. With each word a writer is exploring uncharted waters, taking his readers someplace they’ve never gone before. If he’s doing his job, he’s taking himself somewhere he’s never gone before as well.
It’s said that there is nothing new in this world. In fact, there’s a saying I’ve seen attributed to the Hindus that says everything has happened, everything will happen. True enough. We only need to see how often us humans insist on repeating history to see how true this is.
Still though, the writer/reader relationship remains unique because there are always fresh insights into old thoughts, unwalked paths leading to a never-changing destination. Speaking as both a writer and a reader, it’s fun being a pioneer leading and being led on the journey.
The Thought for the Day – Evan Thomas
America was the world’s policeman, too materialistic and perhaps even a little lazy, but all in all very much the world’s last, best hope. – Evan Thomas, Ike’s Bluff
This book is an excellent chronicle of the Eisenhower presidency, focusing particularly on America’s development of nuclear weapons, and the start of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. I highly recommend it for both casual fans of history and the more scholarly folks out there
Today’s quote is just as relevant about today as it was when referring to the 1950’s.
Despite our best efforts to muck this up, America is still, very much, the world’s last best hope for global leadership. However, in a world screaming for American guidance, we are taking a flier. Instead of providing an example of peace, we have spent the past 25 years at war. Instead of giving other nations the dignity of conducting their affairs without our interference, we meddle incessantly in the affairs of others, despite the fact History shows US meddling seldom does us or those we are pestering any good.
We’ve gotten a little lazy, too. I have two favorite examples. The first is that the only nation to send men to the moon can no longer send anyone into space anymore. Forget going to Mars. I’ve always felt we could have had men on Mars in the 1980’s but we lost interest. We might get them there by 2040, or we might not.
The second is the 2014 midterm elections, where the United States Congress had 96 percent of incumbents reelected, despite an approval rating of eleven percent. America was not happy with their government, but we were unwilling to do anything about it.
all in all very much the world’s last, best hope…
We still are, but it is up to you and me – we the people – to get it done.
Nothing in this country happens without our consent. It might not seem that way. Sometimes it seems our government is in the hands of the incumbents, the media and lobbyists and all we are are outsiders trying to get a peek inside the candy store.
Nothing is further from the truth, though. Our government is still in our hands. All we need are demanding and participating American voters determined to ensure we get the government we deserve.
It’s there for the taking. The government we want is as close as the next election. All we have to do is go get it.
Editor’s Note: Gaylon is the Colorado Libertarian Party’s 2016 nominee for the 3rd Congressional District seat.
The Thought for the Day – March 17, 2016
All rising to great place is by a winding stair. – Francis Bacon
We must be patient.
There are a lot of lessons life is willing to teach us if we let it and this one is one if its most valuable and, virtually by definition, the one that takes the longest to learn.
Few accomplish anything of substance their first time out. Even those with a knack for something specific need time to perfect their skills. Those that do achieve everything they thought they wanted early in life often find themselves wondering what’s next.
This is because once the euphoria of accomplishment has passed, and you might be surprised at how soon this happens, human nature will take over and you will wake up one morning looking for a purpose for your life. If you do not have something worthwhile to work towards, you might find your days nothing more than a void, 24 hours to be endured until you wake up and have to endure 24 more hours.
All rising to great place is by a winding stair…
Middle age is a great line of demarcation in a person’s life. Sure, we should be looking back at some successes, but there must always be something to work towards.
Benjamin Franklin is an excellent example of this. Already esteemed the world over when dispatched to France by the Continental Congress in his 70’s, Franklin added to his reputation and his place in history by obtaining French support for the America Revolution and, after the war, negotiating peace with the British.
He didn’t have to. He could have retired. But a hallmark of Franklin’s long, useful life was he never stopped trying to new things. Till the day he died he always had a purpose for his life.
We must, too. We must never ask “What if?” or wonder “What now?”