A Perfect Equation

I was never much for math. At exactly the moment letters were introduced as a component of equations, I checked out. That would have been day one of Algebra class. The final eulogy was given as they ushered me in to Geometry class. Full sentences (which I equated to English class) were disorienting in the context of a classroom that purported to offer me mathematical skills. Right or wrong, I quit.

I could point to the fact that my various roles have been fulfilled with the skills contained in the processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and when necessity of algorithmic processing presented itself, I figured it out. Beg, borrowing or stealing being the go-to.

Yet over this season of Story (Thanksgiving to the New Year) I have been afforded a coalescing of my thoughts. A coagulation that seems to have presented a kind of peace. For readers of the Recovery Dragon “Resources Connected” Blog you may have had inklings of this upcoming revelation from previous posts. For readers of Meaningful Trainings “1st (&) 15th” Blog the indicators were not as clear but as I looked back I think the foreshadows where there. Confirmation that hindsight is indeed, 20/20!

Let me pull it into focus.

I’m a philosopher. My life’s work is pondering, wondering, imagining. Akin to a Poet but just to the left (or right) depending on your viewpoint. The difference? Poets seem to know who they are. Anybody can be a philosopher. Being briefly overwhelmed and offering words of amazement and gratitude can convince anyone of their philosophical prowess. Those hearing the rhapsodic meanderings…not always so convinced.

So, that’s my lot. I wander. I wonder. I share and spend an inordinate amount of time informally and formally considering. And selling. Like the picture, I wander around and sell my wares. You know you need them. I know you need them. Which one is the only question.

And yes…I recruit my kids to help sell. It’s a subtle form of intrinsic motivation.

Where are we? Welcome to the world my friends inhabit, the Galaxy of “Huh?”.

My New Year’s gift, given to me and in the Spirit of the Season given to you, is an equation;

Everything is story.
Or, (1 + 1).

Story is every thing.
Or, (=).

As a Philosopher, I propose. That’s when the fun begins. Anyone can then test the equation for durability, reliability and universality. Unlike math equations though, philosophy employs symbols of unequal value (letters, words) for its propositions. It’s like the number 17 being understood by each person in the world as another number.* That makes for tough going when you seek agreement. If that proposition doesn’t make your brain ache, then re-read it. You need that pain to go down this road. It’s the lactic acid of the brain muscle. A clear indication of use.

 I’m convinced. Per my friend, Philly Frank, “More will be revealed.” Indeed, that’s the power of Story!

Hello 2017...the journal on which we continue to scribe, draw, doodle and sketch...everything!

* Imagine 17 being 16.987 or 16.858 or 17.235 or 17.116 yet being presented as 17. Mathematicians or Engineers could not tolerate such variance. We wonder why communication is so difficult yet never stop to acknowledge the means by which we undertake the task is, from the outset, unreliable and we spend most of our time trying to agree on interpretation rather than meaning. The extension of this is the use of force to fit. We'll save that for another day...;-)

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