Thinking. Under my terms.

I have friends. That have me thinking. That maybe I think too much. About the irrelevant. Or stuff for which I’ll never find answers. And that can be frustrating. Time consuming, too. When I could be doing more practical things. Such as living. Rather than thinking. Most times. I can’t conclusively say whether I’m happy or unhappy. Because I’m not thinking about it. I’m busy. Living the moment. Without giving it much, if any, thought. Fully immersed in my activity. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. What does it mean to think? Does thinking make me happy? Or sad? I have the freedom. To think or not to think. I can pick the subject. Or let a random thought pop to mind. Out of nowhere. I’m continually experimenting with the process of forming my thoughts. Perhaps in creative, imaginative ways. I let the thoughts carry me. For better or worse. I’m assuming. For now. That it’s all right to be a thinker. Under my terms.  --Jim Broede

Seeing is believing.

Keeping one’s mind occupied. With positive rather than negative thoughts. Seems like a decent and realistic goal. At least for me. It’s good for my mental health. And probably has overlapping physical benefits, too. But there’s a problem. Perhaps I think too much. And tend to use little or no restraint. Hard to choose. Where to draw the line. I allow negativity to creep in. Like it or not. My mind too easily runs rampant. Out of control. Hard as I try. I can’t help myself. I was born with a compulsion. To go negative.  When the positive approach doesn’t work. I use sarcasm and blistering satire. Of course, that doesn’t always make me proud. But let’s concede. Negativity works. That’s why politicians use it. To forge ahead with lurid campaigns. Poking fun and lying about their opponents. Sadly, getting away with it. A polite and refined politician. Who sticks to the issues.  Generally doesn’t last very long. Too boring.  Many of us prefer bombast. For the sake of being entertained. Makes me wonder. If we were born to be amused. And to heck with substance. Though maybe someday. I’ll be proved wrong about that. Meanwhile, I’ll believe it. When I see it. --Jim Broede

A calamity. Never meant to be.

We homo sapiens. Think of ourselves. As the highest form of intelligent life. On Planet Earth, that is. And that may be a correct assessment. But I suspect. That in the vast cosmos. As a whole. We’d be considered. As a form of low life. Dummies. The proof being the way  we run our political systems. Like unrestrained barbarians. Indeed, sorry to have to say this. But if we’re the best there is. Creation is in shambles. Best that the creator start all over. From scratch. With a clean slate. Possibly something went awry. Right from the start. An unfortunate accident. Resulting in a horrible calamity. Never meant to be. --Jim Broede