Friday, January 9, 2009

Reflecting on Thoreau

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is that he hears a different drummer. Let him step to that which he hears, however measured and far away. Thoreau

As an adult, I respectfully acknowledge a number of friends and acquaintances who live their lives in highly original ways. The "different drummer" quote calls for a comfortable acceptance of others, and I deeply appreciate that attitude.

As a retired mental health professional,however, I grieve for the people I encountered who heard no drummer. They failed to march to any music, just wandered aimlessly over a vast plain of life with no fixed boundaries. Chaotic bouncing from one crises to the next.

One should be thankful to hear that invisible percussion that suggests a pace and a path to follow.

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