I’ve Got a Secret

I think we each need a cave.

One of the drawbacks of living inside one’s own mind is the temptation to think that all other minds function in the same way. That our outlook and perceptions are the de facto standard and that others are to be weighed in the balance. That the idea we now have must be useful to all other right thinkin’ folk.

Of course, we don’t enunciate this too well or too loudly in case we are labeled as prejudiced bigots or narrow minded, or white Anglo-Saxon males. Sigh.

I bring this up because I have been forming the idea that we are all in need of something. But this idea came from my mind – there’s a lot of unused space up there – so it may have little relevance to the rest of you oiks. (“oiks’ is a generally disparaging word for other folk. I’m working on my people skills)

And the idea is this: we need a cave.

Reading a book is a great way to let the brain fizzle along on autopilot; the ravages of the day make a bit more sense, the various emotional explosions which have occurred can be triaged as we spin our mental wheels. We can get lost in the story and let the mind make sense of our life.

As a young lout I would position a favourite and comfy chair in such a way that I could see through the front door and across the road to a small park. Trees and grass, blue sky and rustling leaves. The inner psyche would heave a small sigh and try to make sense of my day – why my best mate called me a dill, why the teacher looked at me funny, why the girl I was desperate to meet looked at me funny, why the dog looked at me funny. Hmm, I’m seeing a pattern here.

But it worked, the mental time out allowed me to sort stuff out and pop it into a repressed cupboard in the emotional warehouse. And I’m a big fan of repressed cupboards because I like to look normal.

Of course, now that I’m a well known sage I no longer need the frippery of a mental time out – but perhaps you do?

But do you have a chance? Is there some peaceful time in your day for a spot of quiet reflection and angst driven soul searching?

Or does the tyrant of Social Networking demand regular sacrifice? Must update Facebook/Myspace status, must finish that tweet, must txt my peeps, must write that blog (yeah, I know), must…….not be alone.

Because then I would have to think.

Well, I suspect we need to have the opportunity to think, to think quietly, to reflect. A lot of this can take place while reading a book but some cannot. And that’s when we need our cave.

My sainted wife and I go to a quiet spot in the hills and do some thinkin’ and stuff on a regular basis. It’s our cave.

Actually, it’s a luxury cabin in the treetops overlooking a lake. Beautiful spot.

I may be psychically repressed but I’m not stupid.

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