On the road again

St. Augustine was not always an old man.

He was born in the year 354 in Tagaste, the Roman province of Numidia in North Africa. As a youth, he was known for living the good life.

the good life in Montana

After studying in Rome and Milan and after converting to Christianity, he retired to the monastic life in his native village. He was then called to become a priest and moved to the city of Hippo. In time he became bishop, and over the course of 35 years traveled to various councils in Carthage and North Africa. The journey from Hippo to Carthage was a journey of nine days.  One traveled by donkey or on foot,  wearing sandals over dusty roads along a rugged coastline where robbers lay in wait.

North Africa, coast line

In his 75 years on this earth, St. Augustine produced over two hundred books and nearly a thousand sermons, letters, and other works. But he never forgot the importance of travel and meeting other people.

St. Augustine has many quotes, of which I will quote one:

Hope has two beautiful daughters, whose names are anger and courage.  Anger is the way things are, and courage the desire to see that they do not remain as they are.

When asked why he left his studies, he replied, “The world is a great book. None study the book so much as the traveler; they that stay at home read only one page, and never know the joy of the journey.”

The old man is on the road again. This time in Montana, looking for answers, but more importantly looking for hope.

Waiting

Out there something incredible is waiting to be known, look for it.

Quit your bitchin'

Any cranky old  fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. Benjamin Franklin

The shorten modified version comes from Dale Carnegie. A misplaced and long ago forgotten longer version, part of a self-improvement plan Franklin drew up as a young man in 1726, goes:

 ...I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of every body.

While we are on the topic of fools, let's quote Buck Owens:

There's no fool like an old fool 
That's loved and lost at least a hundred times 
There's no fool like an old fool 
That keeps on falling for the same old line.

his and hers?

Fools come in all sizes, shapes, and ages, mostly recognizable to everyone but the fool. The old man has lots of things to bitch about, still he keeps them to himself.

As Lou Holtz said, “Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them.”

What one thing guides you in life?

Daughter (to father): What one thing is your one guiding principle in life?

Old Man : Be curious and ejoy life.

Daughter: That is two things.

Old Man: Then, 'Be curious.' Curiosity drives the human mind to new experiences and consequently to life's enjoyment.

Be ... more curious about ideas - Marie Curie

Vacationing with her husband in Brittany, Marie Curie was mistaken as a housekeeper by a reporter seeking an interview and asked if she could reveal any titillating gossip. 

This was her response.

"Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas."


[As told in Living Adventures in Science‎ (1972), by Henry Thomas and Dana Lee Thomas]