“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive.” ~ Pearl S. Buck
“What did you take a picture of?” he said enthusiastically, crossing our path on the trail!
“The cattails,” she answered, showing the stranger her photograph. “They’re glowing!”
“Ah! You’re seeing! Most people walk these trails to get through them. Very few people are curious enough to learn. It’s only when you see that you can learn. It’s only when you learn that you can see!”
His name was George. I couldn’t place his accent. We guessed his age to be near 80 though he was more spry and alive than people half his age. Pulling up his AllTrails app, he shared stories of the local trails that he’d walked. “This one is gorgeous!” he exclaimed.
As we parted he turned and shouted, “Remember, you’ll never get in trouble if you are learning! Only ignorance will get you into trouble!”
And odd parting sentiment. An apt parting sentiment for our times. I wondered if we just had a happy visitation from a wizard. A forest sprite. A wise hermit.
For the rest of our walk I thought about his parting sentiment. Trouble. John Lewis said, “Get in good trouble.” There is a kind of trouble that only comes when you see – when you learn. Artists and academics, seekers of truth, are problematic for authoritarians and bullies. Seeing – truth – learning – is problematic for purveyors of lies and promoters of ignorance. John Lewis got into plenty of good trouble in his life and our lives are better for it.
Kerri and I both have been branded “troublemakers” at various points in our lives. We are too sensitive, some have said,”… too sensitive for our own good.” We have artist natures. As premises go, George’s parting comment is accurate: ignorance always leads to a whole bunch of trouble. Ignorance is loud and, these days, wears a red hat.
It is equally as accurate that learning, calling out ignorance, speaking quiet truth, brings its own brand of trouble. Good trouble. The kind of trouble that actually makes people’s lives better.
read Kerri’s blogpost about TROUBLEMAKER
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Filed under: Art, Creativity, Merely A Thought Monday, Seeing | Tagged: academics, AllTrails, AllTrails app, artistry, artists, Bullies, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, good trouble, hiking, ignorance, John Lewis, Kerri Sherwood, kerri sherwood itunes, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, learning, nature, Pearl S. Buck, seeing, seekers, sensitive, story, studio melange, the melange, trouble maker, Troublemaker wine, truth |
The Direction of Intention 
[…] read DAVID’S thoughts this MERELY-A-THOUGHT MONDAY […]
Good trouble. Next month we will visit Brenda’s cousin Lyla in Mitchell, SD. We plan on also visiting Lyla’s brother and his wife. All are racists and magats (red hats). The last visit we made it semi clear we were not of their ilk on some issues. Good trouble. Seeing and learning. I’ll add patience. So many “yicky” folks out there. But looking closer at other “things” brings light into our life. Balance?
Now I’m becoming philosophic. Move over Socrates.
Cris
You wear your philosophic well! Socrates would appreciate your good company.