One of the reasons I suffer from melancholy is that jealousy interferes with my thoughts, my life and progress. I read and watch about great minds, great people and the way they touched our history, how they interacted and told their story.
I did not wish to compile a list, I merely wanted to suggest a small example of what I mean, can you imagine life without your favourite musician, how there words, chords or notes have affected your thought patterns, maybe even decisions? Could you look back at the time you read that book, the one you can read over and over, one you can relate to or just aspire too, or maybe just enjoy and let your imagination run free. Think of that show you went to, whether it was comedy, dance, silent, music, film, why did you go, did they draw you in with their sublime reasoning, was it their message? I have been touched many times by artists, the dulcet tones of Adele are so rewarding but so different to the beats of David Guetta, who can boost my energy and positivity. A recent dance group conveyed a simple message of two people's life using only mirrors and people, silent, but still understandable, a lesson through ages, from love to death, it was truly magically and touched me. This took me back to the simpler days of film, Mr Chaplin's silent comedy, so many films, so many laughs, but with a story, this is why they are still viewed and enjoyed, lessons can be learnt. There are people to consider too, maybe a family or friend you've related to, whose seen different to everyone else you know and understands. Sometimes these people in your life have been work colleagues or people you met somewhere, maybe like myself, you got pulled in, enticed in to learning because of university. Some peers have an ability, to teach, they empower you with ability to learn, you draw of parts of their knowledge, it's like a drug for some of us, I know I am in the minority!
We are all creatures of habit and social interaction, we learn of each other (for good and bad), we pass on our "recommendations", a good book, a new artist, a funny comedian or a new film. The how's and whys we do this is beyond me, I'm just jealous of these people I suppose. Life is short, these people have their affect in such a short space of time, so I ask, what is my message, who will listen to it and who will remember it? Will it be after I have left this plain? Some people are unfortunate and time has been required for their messages to be truly understood, think of science, look at Da Vinci, now seen as much more than an inventor or artist. That is just one example of many, Feynman was a fantastic scientist, but more importantly a great teacher, who enjoyed life, from his books he looked at life very differently to most. I do not profess to be anything like him, other than I have his enthusiasm for understanding and hope I can explain complex things using simple metaphors or constructs (remember this guy solved the reason for the failure of the Challenger shuttle using a glass of water and an "o-ring"). He wanted to know how "things" worked, why they behaved in a fashion and he wasn't scared to question or be WRONG.
There are so many examples of people, from former presidents (Lincoln) and people of the cloth (Dalai Lama), charitable individuals (Marie Curie) around the globe to even the musical artists like Elvis or the Beatles, they affected so many generations and will carry on with future ones too, of that I'm sure. There message must have been so strong to stand the test of time, to pass through these generations and survive, to still be listened to by us who are too young to have even been alive when they were. Then you have to consider what was their power, was it their words, was it their beat, was it their presence, their charm or was it their time in history?
Many people could take lessons from people like Feynman, it's just a shame his life was shorter than most. If I had one ounce of his intelligence I would be happy, even though I want to understand, there is so much in life to get in your way, so I suppose it's about choosing your subject of study. Since their are so many different mediums to choose from to deliver your message, choosing the one should be easy, since I cannot play a musical instrument, I cannot dance, I am no one of power or political persuasion, I perform no magic. After all, I am a mere mortal, a man, a thinker, an eternal learner with a slight dose of melancholy!
I've been trying to think what my message would be so here goes:
keep thinking,
keep reading,
keep learning
don't believe - research and learn yourself,
you will have to lie,
you will fail at times,
downturns in your life can be re-directed in to positives,
you will lose people you love, dearly, but you will carry on, it is part of the cycle we all follow,
you should travel,
you should learn a new skill,
take chances,
you will look back with retrospect,
you will smile,
you will be sad,
hopefully you will feel the beauty of parenthood,
most of all I hope you live a great life and I have had some affect on you.
Oh finally, please read Adams, 42 is the answer and Orwellian views of life are relevant, check out Feynman (probably the coolest scientist, bar none).
Remember your towel, look for the dolphins and say hello to the mice, so long.............
