Ever read a quote from a book on philosophy and then think you need to get the book?
I do.
Recently, I picked back up in “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelious where I left off probably 3 years ago. On page 2.
Why only page 2?
Well, because every time I start reading a book like this I realize how simple minded (dumb?) I am.
Because I don’t get what the F he’s trying to say.
Reading wise words sometimes feels like you need to be a rocket scientist to understand it. And I’m not.
So I think I need to just stick with being inspired by the quotes that OTHER people extract from books like this.
I was, however, able to extract my own from my short read last night though.
It was this:
Human lives are breif and trivial. Yesterday a blob of semen. Tomorrow embalming fluid and ash.
Sounds rather, blunt, right?
We begin as nothing, we grow into something amazing (maybe, hopefully), and then we end up as nothing again (physically, anyways).
But what we do and think in between can leave a mark, even if we can’t always see it.
As a dad who loves my family a bunch, I sometimes try to think of new, fun ideas to do or talk with the kids about. At least I think I do.
Mainly, I try to talk to my kids about what they want to do when they grow up and make sure they know that, contrary to what everyone around them says and what school is funneling them into, they don’t need to pick a “job” if that’s not what appeals to them.
I’ve got piles of books I want them to read that’ll get their little minds thinking in all kinds of cool directions as to the sort of non-job opportunities they can chase after.
The first and most important one is Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
It’s a book about a kid whose own Dad is a “conformist” who gets a safe, secure job as a college professor and pushes his son to go down the same path.
The other “Dad” (the rich one) is his friend’s Dad who owns multiple businesses and thinks like a capitalist. Not someone who needs a safe, secure position within a company to feel secure.
The guy is bold, imaginative, and daring.
The safe, secure route is the only one we’re taught in school. Most people never even realize there’s another option. Especially if they don’t have a “rich dad” in their life or if they don’t seek out and find books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
My kids are too little to care much about any of that stuff right now. So, I need to be careful not to bore them with it just yet.
But, that’s why I created KurtBouma.com.
It’s my spot to curate and share information about the bold folks who are getting stuff done. My place to share this info while my kids are too young to care.
But, sorry. As much as I’d like to share some super deep philosophical thoughts with you, that just ain’t my bag, it turns out. Just gonna have to keep it simple around here.
If you want the deep stuff go pick up a copy of “Meditations” for yourself.
And if you’ve never heard of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, you should definitely give it a read. Before you turn into ash.
Peace
Kurt Bouma
