The Thinking Man

How many times do you think in love?

After the first few years of my being born — when I was thought capable enough — I was told to think. “What do you think? What do you think you should have done? Were you thinking at all? Why don’t you think before doing something?”

I don’t think I’m the only one to have been interrogated thus. If conversations and television is anything to go by, then this is representational of all of us, all through life — it’s cyclical. Heck, even I’ve thrown these lines and variants of them at others. I’m guilty, and I can’t shirk the blame. There’s no way I can, even if I would love to.

It took me ages to learn how to think. I’m still learning. But what of those who don’t think...

You don’t think about music... you just feel it.

You don’t think about being in the presence of the majestic Himalayas... you simply experience it.

You don’t think about the gushing sound of a flowing river... you just sway with it.

You don’t think about running to your safe zone/person when you need to hide from the world... you just run.

Thinking before jumping off a plane for a sky dive doesn’t result in jumping... NOT thinking about it, does.

You don’t think about removing your hand in case something’s hot (pls note... something, not someone!)... you just remove it.

You don’t think about clenching your fists when something makes you fiercely mad or happy or sad or excited... you just clench your fists.

Most importantly, you don’t think before you love someone... you just fall...

But you usually do think a zillion times before you say “I love you” to someone.

So, if for all the important things in your life you don’t need to think, or rather, you shouldn’t think... why do we learn to think at all? Doesn’t that just hold us back?

Rodin's Thinking Man in Paris. Photo courtesy: wayneconrady.wordpress.com