MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

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CHILDREN WASHED UP ON BEACHES

Friday Sept. 4, 2015

 

We are so far away.

We’ve seen horrible pictures.

His grief.

Heard tragic stories …

Sad.

We look at photographs. They move us emotionally. Imagine, what could we do if we wanted?

Not single-handed, saving that child. Too late. No single action, no miracle fixes that or our collective consciousness. We could un-sigh, un-tear, un-feel horrid feelings of identifying with someone’s tragedy.

One child – for a short while the media’s face of all problems.

Something else soon overtakes that spotlight. We resume being oblivious to horrid circumstances in so many corners of our planet, or in our own backyard. We comfortably rest, work and play is blissful isolation.

I don’t think the world’s problems are summed up in this: ISIS

These problems involve all of us, aren’t solved by ambassadors, missiles or money. Rhetoric doesn’t solve. Neither does Google.

Does mankind not learn from experience?

I’m told experience, doing – that’s old-school.

Don’t use old ways. Don’t use pencils for long division. Calculators are better. Microwave. Speed-dial. Don’t read, research – just Google. Quicker, more efficient.

We ALL seek smarter ways, better to learn from everything anyone ever learned.

In science, this makes sense.

In marketing, saves money.

In human services, saves lives.

Well, it’s supposed to.

What do we learn – will we try things, risking failure, or resort to our magical tools of knowledge searching, to learn how others have tried, and failed, so we won’t make those mistakes again? Should we rely on our elected representatives?

If we are getting so smart, shouldn’t we be approaching some zero-error zone in all areas of life, sciences and humanity?

We are so far away.

 

Mark Kolke

written / published from Calgary, AB

morning walk:  3C/38F brrrrrrrrrrrrr, cloudy, chilly stiff breeze, Gusta strolling along confidently – I think she’s very happy my ankle is on the mend…

Reader feedback:

THE BEST OF PLANS

You wrote: “Will the decline of aging cause me to let loose of my dreams, or fight harder to make them a reality?” - I have been asking myself this same question, though less focused than your articulate sentence... Those knees! Hips too!  and for you your ankles! and toes YIKES! A trip to San Diego with my grandson and his parents in a few weeks and I wonder..."What was I thinking?!" Those knees Louise!!!, SF, Lethbridge, AB


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