26th of February

  “I Remember Galileo”

I remember Galileo describing the mind

as a piece of paper blown around by the wind,

and I loved the sight of it sticking to a tree 

or jumping into the backseat of a car,

and for years I watched paper leap through my cities;

but yesterday I saw the mind was a squirrel caught crossing

Route 80 between the wheels of a giant truck,

dancing back and forth like a thin leaf,

or a frightened string, for only two seconds living

on the white concrete before he got away,

his life shortened by all that terror, his head

jerking, his yellow teeth ground down to dust.

It was the speed of the squirrel and his lowness to the ground,

his great purpose and the alertness of his dancing,

that showed me the difference between him and paper.

Paper will do in theory, when there is time

to sit back in a metal chair and study shadows;

but for this life I need a squirrel,

his clawed feet spread, his whole soul quivering,

the hot wind rushing through his hair,

the loud noise shaking him from head to tail.

O philosophical mind, O mind of paper, I need a squirrel

finishing his wild dash across the highway,

rushing up his green ungoverned hillside. 

– Gerald Stern

I have to say, I can relate to several mind modes.... I have my times when I am the paper blowing around from thing to thing, periods of quiet and stillness, periods of steady focus, and, sometimes, I am the frenetic, urgently purposeful squirrel. 

I suppose it's all good, as long as I am fairly balanced between the various modes.... Depending on the task at hand, my needs, and the needs of those around me, I can hopefully have some small amount of influence over the mode of my mind... although some days, I just show up, and see what's going on. 

Mostly I opt for being part of the information highway, the accelerated exchanges – plugged in, and a little wired, over the detached and floating airiness. But, I have to remember to take a break from that pace... lest I burn out the bean. 

the Keeper (word to think about/keep with me for a bit): 

“Purposeful” - adj. 1.) having or showing determination or resolve. 2.) having a useful purpose, intentional.

I hope to be mindful and purposeful and to keep balance in mind.