I think one aspect of living in this wacky world is finding ways to improve yourself, try new things and understand yourself. It is no secret that I have been trying to understand my purpose in recent years. Honestly, what is my purpose here? I'm starting to think that there is more than one answer to explain our existence.
I recently finished reading Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. Two very different views of the world and our role in it. I enjoyed The Prophet, which was a book I was inspired to pick up after listening to Rudy Reyes as a guest on a podcast. I had no idea how influential and inspiring this book was to people.
Life is interesting in that this book is popular, but I was not aware of it until a couple of months ago. I am glad that I picked it up and ordered it. There are many versions of the book available, I went with this version that includes illustrations.
I do wish I had read this book earlier in my life but am glad to have read it now. After I finished reading it, I wanted to buy multiple copies to give to friends. It was that good. I recommend everyone read this book. I have read plenty of books in my life, but few ever make a huge impact on me. The list of books that have an impact on me is quite small so making the list is a big deal.
As for Marcus Aurelius, where do I start? While Kahlil was easy to digest and enjoy, Marcus required more mental stamina to digest. It took me longer to get through, reflect and understand. There were parts that resonated with me, but I think it will take me a while to really appreciate his musings.
Like Kahlil, Marcus and his Meditations is a popular book. A book that I was not aware of or Marcus himself. I had no idea about Stoic philosophy. There are different versions you can buy of his book and the first version I bought was horrible to read. It was a badly make book and the formatting horrendous.
I found a better version which honestly, I should have bought the first time around. I went with this version which included a lengthy note section.
The reason why I picked up Meditations was because Aldo Kane mentioned it on a podcast where he was a guest. Once again, I am thankful to be inquisitive and explore my horizons. Learning new things keeps the brain active - I hope.
My book pile is a little shorter now, well, one of them anyway. I recently started on Aldo Kane's Lessons from the Edge and alternate with a book by Edward Shneidman called The Suicidal Mind. I should just read one book at a time, which I typically do but when books are dealing with heavy topics I have to take a break from them.
My short pile of books is down to books by Jason Fox, Jay Norton, and Claire Keegan. A friend of mine gifted me the Keegan book after returning from a two-week trip to Ireland. Once I finish this pile, I only have two more piles to work on! Woo Hoo!
As for my writing, I revisit a novel I started two years ago every now and then. Part of me, wants to start from a fresh page on the same topic and come at it a different way. I'll keep tinkering with it until I find the right voice and structure for it. I had a new take on how to tell the story pop into my head last night while playing a video game. Whether the new idea works or not, too early to tell. I need to tinker with things a bit.
I do journal write but admittedly, like this blog, I need to be more consistent. Journal writing used to be a daily occurrence but it's more like twice a week. When it comes to this blog, I think I need to draft out a plan of what to write about but often whatever is on my immediate mind shows up here. I'll figure it out. I always do.
Until then, my friends please enjoy today's music treat of Alison Moyet's "Love Resurrection" which came out in 1984.
Rock on!
~Maynard
No comments:
Post a Comment