For today's photo, how about the title, "Size Matters."Moving on . . .
Out my window, a little girl on a plastic Three-Wheeler just pedaled by on the sidewalk, her too-thin mom strolling behind her. The child was wearing a helmet. I cannot logically argue against such caution, yet it saddens me to see it.
Ditto for helmets on adult bicyclers and skateboarders. Double ditto when I see my reflection in the window, my helmet perched like a runt black turtle atop my buffalo-sized head. So much for dignity (which has always been overrated anyway).
To me, all this protection looks silly, unnatural, and wrong, even as I’ve become aware in recent years of the label, “closed-head injury.” It’s brain versus gut, and my gut is bigger.
Conversely, I silently rail at motorcyclists who don’t wear helmets. I expect to see their brains strewn across the pavement, and I resent having to live out my days with that image recurring in my brain.
Also, I expect that I’ll have to deal with the mess in some way. As a former smoker who was often reprimanded for the cost of my habit to other people’s insurance premiums and to taxpayers, I could also raise the issue of what Easy Riders do to my insurance rates and the portion of my taxes dedicated to medical care for the uninsured.
But it’s a pretty morning, and I won’t go there. We all do things that others will have to pay for. Shame on all of us.
Moving on >
According to Webster, an aphorism is a “concise statement of a principle; a terse formulation of a truth or sentiment.” Among the synonyms are: adage, axiom, rule, moral, truism.
Until I read the scholar-poet James Richardson’s book, Vectors a few years ago, I thought of aphorisms as the zippy, phony wisdom on most bumper stickers and fortune cookies. Instead, I’ve learned that there is an ancient tradition of aphorisms as legitimate forms of thought and expression, and Richardson’s own modern formulations are anything but simple (I highly recommend the book).
So in trying to emulate a writer I admire, I’ve come up with a few (dozen) aphorisms of my own. Sometimes I have a hard time staying serious about them. I’ll offer one or two per post for a very short while.
Re: “Daughters and Finches” on June 17:
My beagle can beat up your beagle.
Or, Wisdom is a house of mirrors.
Moving On again >
I’m opening a contest here, a competition for the best caption from any of you for any photograph on this blog (I’m the “photographer” for all the pics).
First Prize is the letter A, for Enormous Satisfaction. Ditto for Second and Third Prizes.
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