This and all napkin drawings are for sale, original or print. Please email me at marty@napkindad.com to inquire.
Curiosity
One of my favorite characteristics in my daughters is their curiosity. I love how they like to talk about anything and everything. I like how they are up for most any activity, even if it’s something they haven’t tried before. I like how their attitude towards new people and places is enthusiastic and welcoming. I like being that way as well. It’s a true positive in my mind.
Curiosity can lead to being easily distracted, it’s true. It also can lead to not having strong opinions about certain things because you are open to any number of directions. For example:
Random person: “Marty, Do you want to go to the beach or the mountains?”
Me: “Well, both are cool, both have interesting things to do and experience, I would be happy either place.”
Or
Random person: “Marty, Do you want to eat sushi or Greek?”
Me: “Well, both are cool, both have interesting tastes, both would be an adventure so I would be happy eating either cuisine.”
See what I mean? It can be negative in some situations.
Choosing
But since I eventually have to choose I try to remember choosing one of those doesn’t mean I am not interested in the other one. I am just choosing one direction in the here and now. The future? who knows. Hopefully I will be able to go in the other direction in the future!
Are you curious? How does it affect you positively and negatively?
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman
Quote by Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, American politician, farmer, inventor
The pursuit of happiness versus the art of avoiding pain. Interesting contrast in the focus of one’s life. It is apropos to mention the pursuit of happiness because the quote above is by the same author, Thomas Jefferson.
So, my dilemma about pain is this: I am not surprised some people willingly allow pain into their lives for a purpose or goal that can’t be achieved without it. I just ran 16 miles yesterday in my training for my first marathon. It was painful afterwards (worse than while running). I KNEW it would be painful. I accepted I would face that pain if I wanted to achieve my goal. That is common and it is understandable.
What is much harder to comprehend, in myself as well as in others, is the pain that you create for yourself when you don’t want it. Why do people sabotage their pursuit of happiness? Why do they see the rocky shoals, know they should avoid it, but decide to flirt with it? Why do we purposely lose sight of the rolling green hills and the warm sun in the distance and the beautiful ocean we are sailing on and decide to focus on the rocks? What draws us to that pain?
What do we gain from that purposeless pain? Seriously, think about it. We aren’t drawn to the rocks without reason. There is a reason, even if we are not aware of it at the time. Maybe childhood, maybe self-loathing, maybe stupidity, who knows. But avoiding that pain is not just having a ‘happiness’ goal ahead of you, it’s also understanding how that pain brings you some perverted sense of happiness, how it fulfills you, why you need it.
Learn that and you are going to be the better pilot when you come close to those rocky shores.
“The art of life is the art of avoiding pain; and he is the best pilot who steers clear of the rocks and shoals with which it is beset.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, 3rd US president, author of the American Declaration of Independence
……………………………………………………………………………
It’s geographic Sunday!
In the last month The Napkin Dad Daily has been read in 34 different countries, including:
President Obama used this quote in his speech in Cairo, Egypt today. I am glad he chose to use this quote, it is a truth not just for America, but for any government, and any leader, to take into account.
I happened to like President Obama’s speech. If you saw or heard the whole thing I would like to hear what you thought of it as well.
“I hope our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.” – Thomas Jefferson
“Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.” – Thomas Jefferson
My favorite period in history is the Revolutionary War and Constitutional period of our country (USA). The reason is that it was the first time in human history where enlightenment philosophical ideas were purposely integrated into the creation of a government, not for self-interest, but for the greater good.
Jefferson was perhaps the most famous of those who pushed the philosophical ideas of the enlightenment into the forefront, but he was by no means the only one.
I went to a lecture last night titled “Religion and the Founders: The First Great Battle over Church and State”. This quote by Jefferson was on my mind for today as a result. Do believe what he said is true? What belief of your neighbor would do you harm?
