Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Look Into My Eyes
Doubt whom you will, but never doubt yourself.
Christian Bovee
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Hello Sue
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There is no such thing as an absolute sceptic, or so I am told by first year philosophy students. They have sure arguments all lined up to prove it. I believe them. But I also think it is probably a sensible thing to be a sceptic in moderation. After all one doesn't want to believe everything one reads and hears. It goes beyond just determining if a thing is right or wrong. One should also determine the relative value of something, relative to its usefulness in its area of operation and also to its claims to value.
Moderate scepticism is healthy at most times. Mild scepticism may miss important flaws and extreme scepticism may lose sight of values, "throwing out the baby with the bath water" as the saying goes. Nevertheless, all thoughts, ideas, theories, facts, reports, beliefs, opinions and particularly politicians claims all deserve to come under the scrutiny of an honest doubting mind. But there is a place where being skeptical has to stop.
Her name was Lisa. She was 18, a high school senior. I went to her class to talk to the students about theatre and acting in particular. They were a lively and intelligent group. They asked the type of questions that got me thinking about my answers. One girl sitting at the end was full of questions about what it was like to live as an actor. I decided she was probably interested in a show business career and so I asked her that. She said she didn't know but she was thinking about it. Then she said she didn't think she was good enough. I asked her why she thought that and finally got her to say she was very unsure of herself in general.
I picked up my chair and moved over to right in front of her and sat. I took her hands and stared into her eyes. I wanted to look past the pretty girl with the sweet voice. I looked past the meadows and lagoons in her eyes, deep into her being, where I saw the fire of life.
I said very quietly and slowly: never.....doubt.....yourself............promise me.
She answered in a whisper "yes."
I picked up my chair and went back to the rest of the group. I never saw Lisa again. I hope it worked.
DB - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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3 comments:
I suppose I'm a moderate skeptic - but my skepticism about myself has often been profound.
"Never doubt yourself" is extremely good advice.
"Never doubt yourself" is great advice for everyone to think about. Another great, informative read for everyone to stop and think about.
I have always had problems with the 'gray areas' of life and much prefer the black and white edges for their simplicity of right and wrong.
I also constantly doubt myself and continually check for mistakes because I make so many.
When I was a practicing Veterinarian I never stopped checking whether my diagnosis was correct until the animal made a complete recovery and always measured the response to my treatment at every visit in case I had missed something important that required my attention.
Now, my disability means I find language in the written and spoken form a constant challenge. I have to check and check again and again that I have read something right.I repeatedly scan back over what I have written because I put the letters in the wrong places and even words wander from their correct position.
It is very tiring trying to comprehend what people write (and say) and compose coherent sentences.
I have many thoughts and ideas that run through my mind but I do not have the language skills to express them.
Any attempts I make always seem pathetic, worthless scribbles yet something makes me keep trying.
I cannot see myself ever stopping doubting myself when faced with the repeated evidence of my stupidity.
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