Conspiracy theories come in pairs. There’s the nutty theory I won’t believe in, because–well–it’s nutty, and there’s the opposite theory that, for some possibly nutty reason, I do. Motivated enough I could likely prove anything is true, which doesn’t imply that nothing is true.
Every time I take a stand I lock the front door, but I keep the back door open to offer protection to those good folk polarized in the same direction that I am. If there are monsters coming at me, this is a reasonable thing to do. Often I am pleasantly surprised by who comes through the back door seeking and offering protection. Sometimes it is the very people I thought would be storming the front door. Sometimes I look out the window on the front door after a major storm and see blue skies, pleasantly surprised at the absence of monsters.
FRESH SNOW BRIGHTENS PATHS
EVEN WINTER GRAYNESS SHINES
DOORS REMAIN UNLOCKED
Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday with the theme “pleasantly surprised”. I am hosting today. The bar opens at 3 PM EST.
Photo: “Puzzle Pieces Prior to Polarization” by the author.
We do tend to wait for the other shoe to drop, huh? I like your open and closed door ritual. I’ll be on the lookout for blue skies!
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There are storms to be concerned about, but they all pass. Thank you, Elizabeth!
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I liked that a lot!
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Thank you!
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Frank, this is awesome!!! It’s my favorite piece of yours. Seriously incredible philosophy embedded at every turn. I can completely get behind this approach.
This is my very favorite part: “Motivated enough I could likely prove anything is true, which doesn’t imply that nothing is true.”
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I am glad you liked that sentence, Shawna!
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So much is to believe in, and most of all I feel that if you keep an open mind you will be pleasantly surprised that other opens up too.
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Keeping an open mind may be the best way to prepare for being pleasantly surprised. Thank you, Bjorn!
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You can’t convince me the monsters aren’t hiding round the corner!
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They’re out there and it is good to be cautious. The best surprises I’ve had come from the back door. Thanks, Peter!
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So much power in these words. I had to read it a few times!
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I’m glad you enjoyed this! Thank you!
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I like the theory too. I suspect if you had them both open it could tempt an ill wind. I like the snow and its ability to make everything seem fresh and bright and shiny.
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Good point about the ill wind going through the house. One has to protect it. Thank you, Alison!
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I quite agree with your theory; life has a way of surprising you by using the most unexpected people. A good strategy keeping the back door open😊.
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I am more often surprised by what happens at the back door than the front. Thank you, Vivian!
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For me, what is unexpected is what makes up “real life.” Which never goes as planned. Life can be messy, out of control, full of joy and sorrow. Our current political situaion is the perfect example, no one could have written it.
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Often my plans don’t work and sometimes I’m glad they didn’t. Life is messy full of both joy and sorrow as you mention. Thank you, Annell!
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It is nice to find the monsters haven’t come out to play.
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They could come from anywhere. Thank you, Jane!
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Watch that door 🙂
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I like this. It’s alway a lovely surprise when the ones that come through the back door aren’t the ones you expect. It renews my faith in human nature. A nice write Frank.
Pat
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Yes, it does. For me it happens a lot. Thank you, Pat!
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That’s a very good thing☺
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All kinds of things show up uninvited….(K)
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They do. Thank you!
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keeping a door open feels like keeping the mind open. I like this very much.
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It is like that. Thank you, Sascha!
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amazing what can come through the back door…if we let it!
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It surprises me as well. Thank you, Frank!
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Frank,
This is wonderful.
It is interesting what we choose to believe and what we choose to discard. And I am often pleasantly surprised as well at who chooses to be on what side and believe in what things. And the surprise at times of finding you have more in common with some you thought you would never share a side with.
I think at times, we have to willing to see all sides though.
You never know what you might learn.
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That’s right. Those we think we have nothing in common with all of a sudden become the ones we do. Thank you!
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Metaphors add so much to our understanding of life. Great piece!
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They do. Thank you , Reena!
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Sort of the travelogue of classic Haibun — well the travel of a reluctant, yet inevitable doctrinarian!
Nice balance, yet with still a feel of righteous recognition.
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If I read Jonathan Haidt correctly, we all have that righteousness and there is no point in trying to get rid of it. We aren’t logical machines deciding from a rational frame of reference. If we were nothing would get done. Thanks, Sabio!
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I liked your haiku, Frank. After three or four straight days of dreary winter weather it was a pleasant surprise to see a sunny morning when I woke up on Sunday!
Dwight
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I am glad you liked this, Dwight, and that it was a pleasant surprise.
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This is so good, Frank. It has really made me think.
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Thank you, Robbie!
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It’s morning, your haibun is the first on my reading list, Frank, and it has kick-started my morning. Whichever way you look at conspiracy theories , they’re nutty! What an inspired sentence: ‘Motivated enough I could likely prove anything is true, which doesn’t imply that nothing is true’. I too am pleasantly surprised by who comes through the back door, but it’s usually my cat or a stray robin, and of course, no monsters!
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I prefer cats and stray robins to monsters as well. I am glad it kick-started your morning, Kim!
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Often I am pleasantly surprised by who comes through the back door.
Sometimes it is the very people I thought would be storming the front door.
Open and shut principle is good when what is expected happens the way we want (unlike above). Good thinking on this take, Frank!
Hank
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Thank you, Hank! The unexpected sets us up for being pleasantly surprised.
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You had me, Frank, with the second sentence. I really enjoyed this one! You’ve written of “monsters” before and I really think perhaps you should consider a series 🙂 There are monsters of so many kinds….and the use of the doors, flipping back and forth…loved it!
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I like monsters. I can turn them into anything. A series sounds like a good idea. Thank you, Lillian!
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It is always good to keep a door open for pleasant surprises – there is such much out there we haven’t even begun to understand :o)
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Yes, there is much we don’t know and we need to be open to better understanding. Thanks you, Xenia!
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That was really good!
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Thank you, Namratha! I am glad you liked this haibun.
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We touched on similar territory with our Haibuns….somehow the older I get I find little startles me anymore, the imaginary downsides turn out to be upsides instead much of the time. Good prompt, Franks.
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I think we did. I like how you put it: “the imaginary downsides turn out to be upsides instead”. Thank you, Kathy!
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You have a knack for expressing philosophical ideas in such a fun and accessible way. Very nice!
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Thank you! Philosophy can be fun and accessible. I wish I knew more of it.
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Nice how you boil this down to the essence. I can relate to this and it is often surprising indeed. Good to keep the doors open. Saw your prompt on Dverse and may give it a try later this week
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I hope you do! If you haven’t written a haibun before it can be a pleasantly surprising experience.
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shy people would use the back door, and that you leave it open is a warm welcome to those still unsure about what to expect on entering, its like an assurance that they will encounter hospitality if they do.
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The back door seems to me to be the friendlier door. Thanks, Gina!
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This goes around in such amazing circles, making my mind almost dizzy with the truth and insight of human nature. Amazed, Frank. You take me deep into us all.
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It does circle around without saying anything too definite, somewhat intentionally since I don’t know what the answers are. I am glad you liked it, Alexander!
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Cool prompt and warm haibun, Frank, thanks 🙂
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Thank you, Lynn!
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SMiLes Frank
For HeART
ofTeN
ouTweighs
thE Tools We
Make As Words oF War..:)
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Words can be tools of war. Thanks, Fred!
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SMiLes tRuly
One Letter
Will Do
It All..
H and 8..
My Favorite
Alpha Numerical
Symbol
For
‘God’..:)
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I think you’ve summarized the past year, Frank. Wishing you lots of blue skies!
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Thank you, Merril! May your skies be bright as well.
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Thank you, Frank!
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