One original thought
Growing up in a small town in Iowa, I spent a great deal of time riding in cars and waiting for my parents. Whether it was the weekly trip to the grocery store or a visit to some distant farm where my father would negotiate the trading of ‘57 Chevy car parts, the opportunities for solitude and contemplation abounded. Living far from the societal distractions we currently take for granted, including radio stations in-range, I learned to appreciate the process of thinking. Once while contemplating a newscaster’s earlier broadcast and commentary, I wondered how one individual’s ideas became valued and appreciated by society. I resolved to grow up and have “one truly original thought.”
This concept of original thinking remains with me. Rather than simply listening to news shows, reading blogs, newspapers, and articles, the majority of my time is spent processing and thinking about what’s happening around me. Taking new ideas, comparing them to what I know, and generating new hypotheses is a favorite pasttime.
Evidence that this has an impact on those around me comes from my #3 son who announced he was going to college one day. When I asked him what he was going to do there, he told me, “Think.” Often while driving #1 and #3 sons to their events, we’ll sit in silence and think. Amazingly our thoughts are so loud that we have been surprised when hubby-dear and #2 and #4 sons climb in and switch on the radio to NPR. #1 son said recently, I was thinking so much that I didn’t hear the silence.
This blog will provide me the opportunity to take those silent thoughts and play with them in a more public forum. I am tired of having to be careful that my opinions represent the various organizations and institutions I’m involved with; I simply want to be able to do my deep thinking visibly. Hopefully along the way “one truly original thought” will inspire someone else.
