When he who hears does not know what he who speaks means, and when he who speaks does not know what he himself means, that is philosophy” - Voltaire

i am a philosopher, by nature, by choice, by major, by all conceivable connotations.  This was something i stumbled upon quit by accident, but i quickly learned that i have always been a lover of wisdom.  Conversations with those who are wisdom giants to me is inspiring and enlivening!  Being able to pass on even a small piece of wisdom to anyone is a treasured moment.  Not for the sake of saying look what i thought you, but to know i was used by God in that individuals life.  Because it tells me that my greatest fear is nothing to be feared,  that God uses the broken and unlikely.  It is so incredible to know that God is weaving you into someone else's story for His glory.  It is an on going and ever evolving story that we learn more about each day as we experience it and live it.

That is part of what i love so much about Philosophy, much of what you believe becomes more clear as you write and as you speak.  At least this is the case for me.  i cannot count the number of papers that i have completely scrapped on the last page because i realized i wanted to go a completely different rout.  This is very much my story of school, went in determined that i was going to become an architect, ha, that lasted less than a semester.  Then i wanted to be a sports broadcaster, lasted a semester.  One year down and two majors gone, but i had tasted philosophy for the first time and i was hooked.  Most of the time i ramble until i complete a coherent thought, but that is what philosophy is.  It is discovering what you believe and why you believe it, exploring all of life's deepest questions and developing thoughts, and then thoughts on thoughts.  It isn't about the answers, never was, never will be.

Not about the answers, puzzling to most i assume.  Especially if you understand the Greeks, the fathers of philosophy; the stoics, Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, et. al. The Greeks are linear thinkers, all about discovering the right answer, which is how most of the world thinks now.  This is to be contrasted with the circular thinking of Hebraic culture where the focus was on asking the right question.  All of this i am positing to you to ponder is leading up to what i meant to write this thing about in the first place.

More of my story, in middle school and high school i hated english.  Didn't get the point of it, didn't really understand it, wasn't interested in reading stuffy old boring literature.  Enter Sam Ford, high school soccer coach and english "educator".  Took integrated communications from him senior year.  Learned more about life and what literature really was from him than many other people.  Incredible educator! Basically i never would have considered the idea of writing a book, in-fact, i would have laughed at it.  i always looked at writing a book as a pride thing, someone thought what they had to say the rest of the world needed to hear.  No longer look at it that way, thank you philosophy.  For me, writing a book is all about formulating my thoughts, it would really be for my own personal benefit. If someone decides its worth reading then good on them.  Maybe one person will benefit from it and that would make it all worth while.  Any way,  i am going to write a book.  what about you ask? you will have to wait to find out, because i don't even know yet, and it will indeed change direction at least once.

If you are still reading, thanks for paying attention to my rambling, for "listening". If you know me, you know i do this frequently when it something that i am passionate about.  Maybe now you have a better understanding of me.  In any case, i love thinking and wisdom, and i love thinking about thinking.  Maybe now you might.  :)

Happy philosophizing!

"Cogito ergo sum"