The chance sighting of some food, the chance of pheromones entering the sense organs, the chance of rain for germination, the chance of flying before dying. Even the chance on which we are all born form the genes of our parents.
Humans, on the other hand, believe they can remove chance from their existence. Prediction, possibilities, forecasting, future analysis, investment, prognosis; all suggest we can, in some way, know what is coming.
And when we fail we are surprised, shocked, disappointed, even offended by the ignorance of those who could not see the future.
Then we reflect. Where did we go wrong? What can we learn? What do we need to change? What might have been?
There is the lesson. We stand on the path and that’s as far as we can see ahead of us. We can look back and see how we got here. That is a fact. What lies ahead is chance.
Throw the dice now. Tomorrow the result will be different. Walk the path but never be sure of where you will end up. Take the surprise as a gift. That’s all we can do.
Tom, it’s me Gale Blacksnake from older artists group. I’m trying to find a way to message you that is not on the Artist’s site. You were kind enough to respond to me yesterday on that site but I was hoping for a personal chat. Your piece on Conversation and others have struck a chord with me giving me hope that conversation is not dead and can cross borders, oceans and space in a twinkling of an eye. Your poems made me want to write a poem again.
ReplyDeleteSo I did. It is kind of a gift to you.
It is not about you.
It is about me.
It dawned on me in the middle of the night that perhaps there is someone who would recognize me as a kindred spirit, god knows we thinkers are dwindling with each heartbeat. Feel free to decline. Your gift to me is already unwrapped.