Commenting on Clare's post about Guardian Angels,Martha said...
"This is all so mind blowing.I wish that I wasn't at work. I wish that I could just sit and really think."
"This is all so mind blowing.I wish that I wasn't at work. I wish that I could just sit and really think."
Which has given me an idea:
Many, many years ago, Dad was reading at the kitchen table as I was having my first cup of coffee. "Here's a good quote", he said to me, and then asked what did I think of it...what did I think it meant? That was the beginning of what become our morning ritual, and sometimes the topic of many discussions throughout the day. I loved starting the day with "the quote of the day", as we came to call it. These quotes were taken from the many and varied theological books Dad read at a runner's pace. Think Bernanos, Von Balthasar, Ratzinger, and on and on; Dad's Gang, his "pandilla".
Martha's comment got me thinking.
It's true, how often would we like to be able to just sit and think. It's also true that we have many opportunities to do this - we just don't recognize those opportunities or simply don't take advantage of them.
And then I saw this, in today's paper, from Garrison Keillor:
"And now I refuse the iPod because it is an audio bubble that shuts you off from the world, which is where good ideas come from."
Ok. Not really up to Dad's "quote of the day", but it's timely, and there's a lot there if you ponder it more than a few minutes.
So here's my idea:
That as we come upon a quote we like, we Post it. It doesn't have to be serious, but I think it should cause serious thinking. We can dialogue through "comments" or simply state our comments....much as we do now.
And just as she "walked, walked, walked" and was there, Martha - and all of us - can take time from our day and contemplate the "Quote of the Day" post.
What do you think?
3 comments:
I love it.
You can quote me on that.
Good quote choice, although I have to say that I have an allergic reaction to Garrison Keillor because I sense he is a phony.
That said, I think technology is what you make of it. Human nature changes little, we are as capable of the heights of beauty and the depths of despair as we ever were. We can choose to use the iPod for good things or we can use it to divorce ourselves from reality. The iPod isn't to blame, we choose.
On good days I pray the rosary on the way to work. On bad days, I listen to JT and Neyo. On medium days I listen to Peter Kreeft or at least Willy Nelson.
Technology doesn't define us. We define ourselves by how we use our technology. God gave us that dominion in Genesis.
(P.S. I am sorta teaching this in my psych class)
As is often the case, you have to read the quote in context of the entire article. But I agree, taken alone, it isn't the greatest quote for just the reasons you list.
Still, I used it because it did pop from the page...as I was thinking about Martha's wanting time to sit and think. I was also thinking about Dad's remarking all those years ago ( and to this day) that we don't allow ourselves much quiet in our lives...be it iPod's or something else. As in, who drives in silence? That sort of thing.
In that regard, Kellior ( not my favorite person, either, btw)does make a good point, if not a fundamental one. But throw away the baby with the bathwater? No. I love my iPod.
My point ( in taking what Keillor said, a step further) was simply this: that we do have time to think. But this wasn't specifically in reference to Martha's dilema; her's being that she wanted to be removed from work (at that time) and be able to sit and ponder things that had been recently written and discussed. A very understandable frustration. It was, as I mentioned above, that it is important to know that we DO have time...unless we choose to let all the distractions of the world keep us...distracted.
And so, the purpose of this "quote of the day" post-suggestion was more about throwing something out there - as often as any one of wants - so that at least THIS might be something to think about during our daily routine.
You state your case well, Clare. I mean, if it weren't for technology we wouldn't be communicating this way, would we?
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