The Road is Paved with Philosophy

Happy Friday!

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I was summons for Jury Duty this week.  My number was selected, I passed the interview and was seated.  This was my third stint on Jury Duty.  This week I was "Juror #12".

I always find the process intriguing.  The juror interviews are long and tedious. Probably 60 people answered a battery of questions from the Judge and attorneys.  There was one juror that stood out to me.

"What do you do for a living?"  Attorney
"I pave highways."  Juror
"What is your passion when you aren't working?"  Attorney
"Philosophy.  I have been a student of philosophy since I was young."  Juror

At break, I made it a point to sit next to this older gentleman.  I asked him how in the world he withstood the heat of working with asphalt and temperatures so high. He told me his methods of staying hydrated and watching is electrolytes.  He went on to tell me that he didn't work as hard as the other men.  He had developed a work pattern based on his 5 senses.  He knew just exactly the number of strokes he needed to make to get the asphalt the required depth and density.  "Lots of men work themselves to death--especially the rookies--going back and forth and back and forth."  He worked with efficiency rather than effort.

Then I asked him about his passion for philosophy.  I can't begin to paraphrase all of the scholars, classic and modern, he quoted.  We had a discussion about physics.  He enlightened me on solving problems by applying numbers to possible solutions.

My head was spinning.  I was overwhelmed by all of the knowledge this man shared with me in such a short amount of time.

He told me that he made a decision early in his life to find a job that only required seasonal work where he could be outside.  He could pave highways for 4 months of the year and have the remaining 8 months to devote to his study and the application of philosophy--application being his 'philosophy walks'.

How lucky was I to meet this gentleman?  I met someone who orchestrated and was living a true Authentic Life.

Always make time for your passions.  Even if it is the road less traveled.