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    Read It Again, With Feeling

    Being Frank
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    On occasion when I post an article, I sometimes can’t help but think of a cruise ship out at sea. During its voyage, something will invariably fall overboard and it will capture a certain degree of attention depending on its sentimental, financial or entertainment value. Many will stare out into the ocean in stoic disbelief (or guilt) as the object bobs up and down for a short while on the waves; a hypnotic dance caused by the ship’s wake that briefly distracts passengers from their self-inflicted tedium of the cruise. As the ship continues on its journey, most can see that the object grows more distant and harder to find, and indifference slowly overtakes curiosity.

    Eventually the object will sink under the choppy waters. By that time, it will have been forgotten by most with the exception of those who claimed an interest in it. But even then, the object will no longer be an item of value; it won’t even be an object at all. It will undergo a metamorphosis that converts the object into a memory of sorts; an experience that briefly caught people’s attention until the next call for shuffle board or the all-you-can-eat buffet. The object itself will have vanished, causing hardship or consternation only to the person who once claimed ownership; not because of value or sentimentality, but rather for the sadness of the object having lost its significance.

    With the many horrible and confounding issues that have surfaced as of late, I thought I would write something new; something urgent. I wanted to write a compendium of observations or ideas that would help to keep our attention span from slipping beneath the waves. But then it occurred to me: I already had.

    Since I began this blog two years ago today, I’ve written about some of these issues that merited our consideration. I know they were seen. They were read, they received a passing acknowledgement, and then they were set down. Like so many objects that get cast overboard, they disappeared into an ocean of impassivity; not because they lacked weight, but because attention is fleeting and indifference has become far too tolerant.

    So I’m reviving a few of those articles that sank underneath the waves. I’ll preface them by saying that most are somewhat lengthy. I get it. People always tell me how they don’t have time to read. Yet somehow, they always have time to forget.

    All I’m asking is this: Look around you; look at where we are at this stage of our journey. It’s exceedingly important that you spend some time taking in those thoughts that aim to remove you from this repressive mindset we’ve all been corralled into in the span of only a year. It’s time for us to take a long look inside our hearts and decide who we really are, where we really wish to be, and what we really want to achieve for the sake of our future.

    Read. Discern. Decide.

    If you have questions or thoughts you wish to express, share them! Trying to tackle the emotions in your heart on your own is like trying to empty an ocean, one drop at a time. None of us have the luxury to remain quiet any longer.

    For your consideration:

    4 responses to “Read It Again, With Feeling”

    1. Sharon Goodenow Avatar
      Sharon Goodenow

      Notice the order of your first keywords:

      america, arrogance, complacency.

      In many ways that says it in a nutshell!

      And your picture! America is being swallowed up by the rising tide, and those who can, sail away! Another nutshell. Well said.

      Reply
      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Sharon – thank you for your comments and your observations. I add the keywords just before I post the article; I use them as a type of contextual Rorschach test to see what pops in my mind as I’m thinking about the final piece. The artwork, though, is something I take time in creating, and it’s the only time I use AI as part of my work. For this piece, I took the time to write a very detailed prompt of what I envisioned in my mind, and I was very pleased with the results. If I could, I would have given AI a high-five! ?? Thanks again for posting these comments!

        Reply
    2. Bernie Spriggs Avatar
      Bernie Spriggs

      This was good, Frank, I do understand the statement on not having time to read but plenty of time to forget. We consume things on the fly these days, mostly orally or thru auditory means. I listen to your writings because it’s much faster for me. I can pick up the pace or move it forward; I always swipe down and hear what you wrote with the intonations and inferences that you put in as well.

      I will say the part in your blog where you mentioned the cruise ship and an object falling overboard immediately made me think of my mother-in-law. ? She was a tough old bird! If that happened and the next thing I heard was the ship’s bells, OH!! ? Buffet’s open lets go! ? (But I jest; I really loved my mother-in-law.)

      Reply
      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Bernie – thank you so much for writing! I agree that most people don’t have time to read and prefer to listen to something that is posted online (and leave it to you to do that with my postings; you’ll have to show me how.) That’s why I’ve been working to create recordings of my articles to give people the option to play them at their convenience. So long as they’re able to acquire the information and then take action as they see fit and for their benefit, that’s what matters. When time is of the essence, speed and efficacy are key.

        And have I told you how much I’ve appreciated your humor over the years? I must confess that when I began writing this article, you came to mind. And that’s because you’ve been on so many cruises over the years. But I would imagine that your family will keep an eye on you going forward. :-) Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

        Reply

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