To Be a Philosopher...

Recently, I have been devouring all things Thoreau. My current read is the biography by Laura Dassow Walls titled Thoreau: A Life. I fill up spare time in lines, or enduring insomnia, with articles about his work and his environments. The philosophy of seeking to know life and then living in accordance with that "different drummer" speaks to me much as it did as a teenager first encountering Thoreau and Emerson. Yet, it feels more visceral, particularly that part about living. About doing.

The quote in the image is what speaks to me most these days. I also think it clearly presents the piece that is often missed by those who read philosophy... we must use our thinking to "solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically, but practically."

Practically.

It isn't enough to think the thought, or hold the belief, we must take action. And this does not necessarily mean whipping up a fervor around the beliefs, rather, we must take action personally. Live the life we've imagined, to paraphrase another of Thoreau's oft quoted phrases.

We must walk the walk in our own lives in a way that speaks to our own beliefs and understandings - to our own souls, if you will. This must be done regardless of what those on the outside might want or espouse. Taking action on philosophy is not a group effort, it is an individual one. The more of us who act on our personal philosophies within our own lives, the more a movement can build.

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Simplifying for the New Year 2021

Welcoming the new year with this Emerson quote on my mind. All things considered, 2020 brought opportunity and improvement for me and my family largely because we continued to refine and follow through on the principles that we hold important. Insights from gurus like Dr. Brene Brown, Jay Shetty, Chase Jarvis, and Mel Robbins have helped me in this pursuit.

I'm beginning 2021 with an audit of my activities and commitments. How well have they, and will they, address my principles, visions, and mission? To quote another favorite author: "Simplify, simplify, simplify!" (Here's a great article from Psychology Today that simplifies Thoreau's philosophy further). Taking the time now to decide where to spend my time in the future should free up even more time to use toward those things that matter most. 

When the school year is over, I plan to do the same audit on my curriculum and after-school programming to get at the heart of the my purpose in those endeavors, as well. The hybrid learning model in which I have been working has made it necessary to streamline so much already. It will be interesting to look back and see what worked and what did not and how I can potentially bring the same simplification process to a more "normal" school year in the fall (assuming we are finally free of our social distancing measures by that time!).

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