Landscapes of weeds or trimmed plants? Well thought out
gardens and lawns or jumbled flora in natural setting. Which is more beautiful
or attractive? Depends on context doesn't it? At least to some extent.
Mentors – teachers – trusted co-thinkers ~ these are
significant people in our lives. They help us form ideas about a range of
topics. Found on the internet anonymously (of course!):
“Surround yourself with the
dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround
yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it
yourself.”
Bull sessions were held in our college dorms. That’s what we
called them then? I wonder if they still call them that! Today we ‘brainstorm’
ideas of similar or related topics. I like to call it ‘noodling and doodling’.
Just let the brain work freely around a certain topic, allow it to wander to
other topics, mingle those ideas with ideas from others in the room and see
where it goes. If something seems important, jot it down. If other thoughts
coalesce with others, jot that down as well. Later summarize the discussion and
see if something valuable pops out. A valuable process whether a gem is
discovered or not!
The quality of thinking is not about boundaries or limits.
It is not about rules. It is about collaboration, nurture, encouragement and
discovery.
Buckminster Fuller ~ adoringly referred to as ‘Bucky’ ~
lived from 1885 to 1983. He was a thinker, inventor, futurist and synthesizer
of disparate ideas. Well known for inventing the geodesic dome, Fuller was a
free thinker. He offered this insight to the world:
“It is now highly feasible to
take care of everybody on Earth at a higher standard of living than any have
ever known. It no longer has to be you or me. Selfishness is unnecessary. War
is obsolete. It is a matter of converting our high technology from Weaponry to
Livingry.”
Filled with ideas Bucky wrote 30 books. He lectured right up
to his death. He was enthusiastic about young people, especially college
students. He wanted them to be unleashed so they would pursue and build what he
dreamt to be a better society. He surrounded himself with thinkers and
dreamers. He urged others to do likewise.
His grandest dreams have not come about – yet! Maybe
sometime in the future they will. We can only hope. Meanwhile we have real
problems to solve and real people to learn to live with! The latter will always
be with us. Other people are both the source of much good as well as heartache.
Can we get past the one to reach higher places of development?
Time, effort and dreaming will help. Research, learning and
sharing will edge us closer to the ideal. Alas no utopia exists. We can still
yearn and seek it however! Doing that will enrich us for the present.
As we move into the weekend how will we spend it? Surrounded
by dreamers and thinkers? Will we allow ourselves this pastime?
January 18, 2013
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