"It's so beautiful. It's so empty"

Baby it's cold outside. That just means it's a good time of the year to read, so why not catch up on some of those books that everyone 'should read'. There are lists of books and lots of opinions...but this one...this one I'm about to share with you should be read...and that's just my opinion. Someone told me to read it and the title almost scared me away. Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is about so much more than just motorcycles and it is amazingly related to several aspects of life. I've also learned there is so much more to motorcycles than I previously thought. The book makes you challenge your thoughts. The book makes you aware. The book makes you understand. The book is a gift...at least that's what I think. 

Classic verses romantic understanding is what the message is about so far. Much more to go...but this concept is how far I've made it.

"A classical understanding sees the world primarily as underlying form itself. A romantic understanding sees is primarily in terms of immediate appearance."

"The classic mode, proceeds by reason and by laws-which are themselves underlying forms of thought and behavior."
"The classic style is straightforward, unadorned, unemotional, economical and carefully proportioned. Its purpose is not to inspire the unknown known. It is not an esthetically free and natural style. It is esthetically restrained. Everything is under control."
"The romantic mode is primarily inspirational, imaginative, creative, intuitive. Feelings rather than facts predominate. It proceeds by feeling, intuition and esthetic conscience."

"Persons tend to think and feel exclusively in one mode or the other and in doing so tend to misunderstand and underestimate what the other mode is all about."

I could go on quoting the book...but that would make reading it yourself not much fun. So I'm going to just throw an idea out. The idea of challenging oneself to consciously think about everything as both classic and romantic.

Look at something basic as the Ohio River Roebling Bridge below. Imagine all of the man made material, budgeting, precise planning and measurements that made the structure be....but feel the beauty of splashing through those puddles and running alongside a magnificent piece of art created by humans over a body of water that has provided life to the Ohio River Valley.

Now I'll go on and point out the aspects of life that romantic verses classic schools of thought may impact...
Government
Sports
Career
Talents
Financial
Relationships
Recreation
Food/nutrition
Homes
Physical health
Mental health

Since this is a triathlon blog, just think about the sport overall. The structured workouts, heart rate monitoring, speed drills, tire pumping, chain cleaning, nutrition planning, route mapping. swim form precision and open water sighting. On the other hand think of the feel of the warm air, wind in the face, splashing of the water and being part of the blue skies, open roads and wooded trails.

Maybe I want to be the best I can be and I believe I can...I visualize it...I believe it...but it would not be successful without the underlying training. In a way...it is about bringing forth an awareness, acceptance and appreciation of classic and romantic understanding:)

Music...notes, beats, rhythms and feelings...another perfect example of how both classical and romantic understandings are important. There would be no Mozart without thought of numbers and attention to feelings.

There would be no realistic ideas without imagination and there would be no structured concepts without passion. Of course the discussion could go on and on...round and round…

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