To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life. – T.S Eliot
It’s a nice sentiment. For my part, I do a lot of doing and saying (though I’m not sure if any of it counts as useful or courageous) but probably not enough contemplating. Even when I’m on the trail in a wild, beautiful place, I spend the vast majority of my time and energy navigating a smooth line through just the next few feet ahead. It is contemplation of a sort, but of the world “narrowed down.” So, as a sort of counterbalance, my loose plan is for each Monday’s post to be something from the previous week that got me a bit further out of my own head, if only for a minute, or otherwise struck me as worthy of a moment’s contemplation.
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Beautiful. Sometimes, though, the doing and the saying are a result (or even, part) of the contemplating, no? Anyhow, I’ll be certain to check-in on Mondays.
By the way, I simply adore that you used the word “whither” in a blog title. You’re awesome!
Awesome! Great idea. I go deep into my head when I run, and like you, I also try to recognize or realize the beauty that is all around me. After moving from the expansive beauty of the California deserts and mountains to the flat woods of New Jersey, I had to learn to appreciate the less dramatic surroundings. There are always things to appreciate on the trails, and plenty of time for all that clarity and contemplation. I look forward to your posts.
Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement, Dave. I completely agree that a moment’s contemplation can be sparked by many different things in many different environments. In fact, it may be worth predicting that I will end up featuring here a lot of stuff that is not particularly obvious or dramatic. Given the focus of the site, most of it will probably be from the trail. But not necessarily all. Thanks again for your observations!