MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

TODAY'S MUSINGS

FEEDBACK / COMMENTS

MARK SPEAKS

MARK'S SPEAKING TIPS

ARCHIVED COLUMNS

ARCHIVE WINTER 2020-21

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2020

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2020

ARCHIVE SPRING 2020

ARCHIVE WINTER 2019-20

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2019

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2019

ARCHIVE SPRING 2019

ARCHIVE WINTER 2018-19

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2018

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2018

ARCHIVE SPRING 2018

ARCHIVE WINTER 2017-18

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2017

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2017

ARCHIVE SPRING 2017

ARCHIVE WINTER 2016/17

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2016

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2016

ARCHIVE SPRING 2016

ARCHIVE WINTER 2015/16

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2015

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2015

ARCHIVE SPRING 2015

ARCHIVE WINTER 2014/15

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2014

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2014

ARCHIVE SPRING 2014

ARCHIVE WINTER 2013/14

CONTACT

MY REAL ESTATE LIFE

WHY I WRITE MUSINGS

SHORT STORY PROJECT

POETRY PROJECT

SELECTED OTHER WORK

 

TREES HAVE MANY RINGS
Friday Dec. 19, 2014
 
This is a column, not unlike every day – not a disguised birthday greeting for someone who celebrates today – but it could be.
 
Every day we do something.
 
It might be one thing. 
 
Might be a hundred.
 
We try to make it work, make it succeed, make it live up to our expectations.
 
From which … we learn nothing much, aside from ‘this is hard’.
 
Every day when we try something we are afraid of, every day when we challenge something we fear – then we have a chance to conquer it, a chance to succeed for the first time, a chance to put our fear of starting behind us, freeing up time to challenge the next thing, and the next.
 
Some call that learning.
 
Some call it learning to live without fear.
 
Some call it failing often, succeeding sometimes, failing more – and I think that is where the best growth is. 
 
Yes, this is hard.
 
Yes, this is good.
 
Good, and hard, seem to go well together. Like grime and sweat. Grunting and groaning. We need to work hard, play hard, try hard until one day we will die hard – but we won’t fade away without having left our impression, our indentation, on life’s landscape. 
 
We do things that last a minute, or that last a thousand years.
 
Making our way through life is not for the purpose of becoming an old fossil, but more about helping others. There is no better work. There is no better reward.
 
We are not getting old or slowing down – we are just getting warmed up.
 
Some people have a hard life.
 
Oh well … lucky us!
 
 

 

Mark Kolke
P.S.: some people were born in ’68. Some remember ’68. Some are 68.
 
column written/ published from Calgary, AB
 
morning walk:  -6C/21F, frosty quiet and calm, Gusta ambling, traffic humming – and my mind very busy (early start, lots of caffeine) as inspiration spins in my belly …
 
Reader feedback:
 
GOOD NEWS DAY
Hug, MO, Monterey, CA
 
Thank you Mark.  Very well written and a wonderful reminder of our many blessings!  Thank you for sharing with all of us.  Merry Christmas!, DA, Houston, Tx.

Sign up to get MUSINGS by Email
» click HERE to be added to our list!
For Email Marketing you can trust

 

sign up to get Musings free daily


Comments are always welcome - please contribute to the discussion.  Reply to: kolke@markkolke.com

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. This site is updated daily, each column is retained in the archive when the next day's column is loaded ...  


Copyright - all rights reserved - Mark Kolke, © 2003-2021