Walking the Road to Freedom by Mark Hatmaker
The What of This Walk
Pulitzer Prize and Presidential Medal of Freedom winning
historian/author, Will Durant was once asked to deliver a “Best of” list, a compendium
of volumes to consume for a well-rounded education; he labeled this list “The
Road to Freedom.”
His implication in labeling it that being, that an
encompassing view from the mountaintop of all that can be surveyed brings greater
understanding and more comforting salve than narrow vistas, no matter how far-seeing
and penetrating these singular studies may be.
He proclaimed that becoming a broad generalist confers
more gains than those accrued from more focused and exclusive reading.
In essence, the geometer knows more of geometry by
reading all of Euclid to the exclusion of all else than the generalist ever
will.
And…
The theologian knows more of the recondite arguments of
theodicy than a geometer ever will.
And…
The “self-helper” knows more of “Winning Friends” [as
if friendship were a battle], and “influencing people” [again-people as an
obstacle to turn], and other such “relationship hacks” than the geometer and theologian
put together.
Whereas, in Durant’s mountaintop view, freedom of
thought, freedom of expression, freedom of fluid understanding is found more in
the ability to navigate many roads, tread myriad paths than any single staked
out trail.
His, and like paths to freedom, are less about optimizing
this or that singular attribute or “life goal” than they are about settling the
mind, body, and spirit into amiable and able satisfaction and providing the resolve
to explore as many paths as our curiosity dictates.
This Road to Freedom is not necessarily about Success
with a capital S.
This Road to Freedom is about Life Aesthetics.
This Road to Freedom is about living with Elegance.
With aesthetics and elegance in mind, perhaps Success
is indeed the goal—with an even larger S.
The Why of This Walk
I offer paving stones that I have found of value, invigorating,
or provoking from my own walk along this road. I offer them in the same spirit
as one may share a table and sample a tasty but unfamiliar dish.
“Mmm, this is delicious, dip your fork in that, you
might dig it, too.”
If you dig it---Win/Win.
If that forkful is not to your taste, perhaps the next
sampling will be.
Trust they are all offered to delight palates, inspire
broader menu choices, and to fortify the Self for the continued Walk.
Some offerings will be a single spoonful. [Unlike this
one.]
Some will be a bit heartier. [Like this one.]
The Paving Stones of This Walk
Although I referenced Mr. Durant’s list, I will not be
focusing upon it. Some spoonfuls will come from it, but most will not.
Different palates and all that noise.
My palate tends to the pragmatic, the usable, the “Get
off your ass, Hatmaker and Go!” menu.
A large sampling from Warriors past and present, pragmatic
military strategists, Classicists, and interspersed, more than a few poets,
playwrights, genteel letter-writers and “Average” men and women who lived in
the thick of things.
Abstractions, utopians, moralists, do not move me.
I am moved by those who moved. People who used their minds
and bodies in tandem, who put their money where their mouth is via action.
One sentence from William Beebe’s account of being at
the bottom of the sea in a bathysphere awakens in me what no textbook on H2O
ever could or will.
Skin in the Game abides here.
The Toll of This Walk, Part 1
Skin in the Game. Doers. “Money where the mouth is” are
writ large on the signposts.
I will offer the occasional, “Hey, we can do better
than just read a chewy quote, can’t we?”
I will offer the occasional Homework or Self-Assessment
Tests or “Put Up or Shut Up” Task.
These test our resolve to do more than read, agree,
scroll to the next thing we agree with and go on unchanged without a true step
taken.
Of course, these “tasks” are not compulsory, but you
know, and I know—no foot on the pedal means no gas in the tank or grit in the
soul.
The Toll of This Walk, Part 2 [FAQ]
How often will paving stones or spoonfuls be
offered?
Dunno, depends on you.
Will there be a podcast supplement so I
can skip the readin’?
Dunno, depends on you.
Will there be an Accountability Society for
Hard-Chargers who want some gentle convivial encouragement along the way from other
travelers?
Dunno, depends on you.
By “Dunno,” I mean, I, like you, am a bit busy what
with life, keeping a roof overhead, hugging loved ones, smellin’ flowers and such.
Your own enthusiasm, be that vocal support, subscribing,
sharing, supporting with jack in pocket decides how much time, how much effort
I put into something that ain’t my day job.
You get what I’m sayin’. I walk this path to the best
of my ability and will do so till the last step.
I would loooove a large mob of open-hearted fellow travelers
every inch of the way.
But…I will not, nor should you, ever continue a
venture that pays no returns in regard or livelihood.
So, what’s it to be? Join me on this walk? If so,
pleased as hell to have you!
If not, thanks for even reading this invitation—enjoy whatever
walk you’re taking.
And if you are joining me, well, it’s up to you to
decide how much toll you’re wagering the ride is worth.
A spoonful for the road…
“There is a delight in singing, though none hear
Beside the singer.”—Walter
Savage Landor “To Robert Browning” [1846]
·
If we require an audience to do good….
·
If we require applause after a task…
·
If…
·
Well, perhaps we have a sign that what we
are doing with our life is performative and not coming from the soul.
·
We often sing some old tune [ZZ Top’s “La
Grange” in my case], hum a tune, whistle tunelessly for the mere joy of doing
it.
·
We are at our bests when we find tunes in everything
we do.
·
Everything, from cooking dinner to weeding
the garden.
·
Not everyone may hear or even enjoy our music,
but…
·
At least one person will hear it, you.
·
And the person singing, humming, whistling
is always having more fun than the one who ain’t.
Mabitsiar’u Hait’si!
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