as well equipped for
life right now if had never
gone to school at all
Of course I had always known men of no schooling who were hugely successful in the mere making of money.
But it took a longer time for me to find out that a man could say “would have went” and still be welcome at more tables,
… have a surer and a more aristocratic taste in matters of painting and music,
… and reveal in all ways a greater gift for living the good life than most of the Ph.D’s of my acquaintance.
Indeed, as I look about me among my neighbors,
… I find myself wondering whether I have anything at all to show for the score of years I spent in going to school,
… whether I would not be as well equipped for life right now if I had never gone to school at all.
From the essay, I Might Just as Well Have Played Hooky as published in Long Long Ago by Alexander Woollcott, (New York, The Viking Press, 1943). Originally published in the American Legion Magazine, January, 1931.
A greater gift for living the good life?
Can we flip that to a question and ask, “Is there a greater a gift than living the good life?”
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm …
I am reminded of one of my favorite Carl Sandburg poems, titled Happiness:
I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along the Desplaines river
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with their women and children and a keg of beer and an accordion.
Am I thinking too much.
Am I over thinking this whole mess, the politics, the climate, the weather, everybody having a gun and NCAA Conference realignment?
As baseball great Ted Williams once said, “If you don’t think so good … don’t think so much.“
I’ll shut up now and pass me that church key.
No Haiku For You 