I heard a quote the other day that has stayed with me longer than most do. "All tears are the same." (George Carlin) How profound! I believe George should be considered to be one of the great thinkers. You know, like Einstein. While he was more "left" than I am in many of his beliefs, a lot can be learned by listening to the things he said in his routines.
For those too young to remember him, please take a moment to research him on YouTube. "Why do we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway?" was one of the first questions I remember from his comedic routines. His questions, while funny, caused me to review how I think and why I say and do what I say and do. His ability to spark thought provoking questions, reminds me of my grandad. Granddad also challenged me to listen closely, question, and to think, think, think.
While I was younger, my grandparents lived for a while in Detroit. When they came home for visits, he always gave me some sort of crazy problem to solve. He didn't believe in giving me the answers either. Sometimes they'd even leave before I discovered them! I'd work tirelessly on the solutions because I wanted to show him how smart I was. I wrote him often with letters proudly proclaiming I'd figured it out, then wait patiently to hear him concede. More often, I got a reply that encouraged me to "keep working." If I got discouraged a bit, (if he felt my letters where too far in between) he'd tease me until I'd work on it some more.
My favorite and one of the most difficult for me to solve was this: As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with 7 wives. Each wife held 7 sacks; each sack held 7 cats; each cat had 7 kits. Kits, cats, sacks and wives....how many were going to St. Ives? Man did I work on that! I counted and recounted and each time I'd give him the RIGHT answer, he just respond with "No. Listen closely." I bet he repeated that to me a hundred times before I really listened! It was frustrating! On one of his visits as he repeated it slowly (again) to me - I got it! Just like that! The answer of course is stated plainly within the very first line. (as I was going to St. Ives) Only one person was going to St. Ives; everybody else was leaving!
I will never forget that limerick nor the lesson it taught me. Taking time to listen and focus closely is a talent that is often lost in the hustle of today's society. Getting lost in the unnecessary details is easier to do.
As a child, I thought he got great pleasure in torturing me. Looking back as an adult, I see that this was his way of keeping in touch with me. At the same time he was also encouraging me to really listen to the problems presented to me, to ceaselessly seek for the answers, and to patiently wait to see if "I got it right." He knew he would not always be there to help me solve my problems so he tried to give me the tools to do it on my own. What a perfect gift!
Today I miss Grandad immensely. There have been times since his death that I could have used his gentle teachings. Oddly, I find that the internet only makes the ache of his absence more profound. I don't feel challenged to think on my own anymore. It has been said that the hardest lessons make you stronger, even wiser. While I have had many hard life lessons and do not consider myself to be too wise, I certainly believe this adage to be true. At least those lessons stay with you.
Now that I can use the internet to "Google" and get the answers to almost anything, I can just feel my intelligence slipping away with every search! aaaand because I can just Google again, I don't even have to retain an answer!
Another of George’s quotes: “The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” Hmmm...okay, so let's then ponder these thoughts...does having this technology mean that we are smarter people because we created it? Or does it mean we are smarter people because we can answer anything?
I hope I can make George and Grandad proud by questioning. However, once again, (sigh) it seems as though I'll have to patiently wait to see if I got it right....
Rhonda Barton is a student and peer writing instructor and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. To read about transitions in her life, see her The journey of a city girl gone country in September Guest Articles at http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=guests175.