Pages

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer

I don't know about you,, but I've always done things my own way.  At least when I can.  I've never followed the "in crowd" or done things just 'cause they were "cool" either. And that's okay. It's one of the things that makes us special, helps us stand out from everyone else.

I call it being an independent thinker and it's one thing I've tired to teach my kids.  As my dad used to say, "Just because everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?" Naturally, I had to tell him it depended on why they were jumping off.  I mean, I can think of several good reasons to jump off a bridge...like Gozilla on one end and Mothra on the other and you're in the middle of what will soon be a battleground.  Best to get out of the way.

The saying "marching to the beat of a different drummer" comes from the writings of Henry David Thoreau, who wrote:


"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away."

I think Thoreau and I might have gotten along.

What about you?  Do you march to the beat of a different drummer?

And just because it's March Madness, leave a reason to jump off a bridge in the comments and the best will win something special.

No comments: