Friday, June 21, 2013

Life, Love and the Pursuit of a Really Profound Thought



John Corbett from Northern Exposure



Goethe’s final words: “More light.” Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that’s been our unifying cry, “More light.” Sunlight. Torchlight. Candlight. Neon, incandescent lights that banish the darkness from our caves to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators. Big floods for the night games at Soldier’s field. Little tiny flashlights for those books we read under the covers when we’re supposed to be asleep. Light is more than watts and footcandles. Light is metaphor. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Lead kindly light amid the encircling gloom, lead thou me on, the night is dark and I am far from home, lead thou me on. Arise, shine, for thy light has come. Light is knowledge, light is life, light is light.
— Chris in the Morning on KBHR
Played by John Corbett
From the Television Show Northern Exposure
Created By Joshua Brand and John Falsey
Original Author unknown



Toaaadddddsssss!!!!!! Herotomost here.  I have to start by apologizing for being a ghost lately, but at work our busy time is the summer months and ours started early and has been exceptionally hectic.  So in trying to get my chops flowing again, I am offering you this Friday Challenge in an attempt to reacquaint myself with all the lovely Toads in hopes that I have not been long forgotten and shelved for hipper and trendier new writers that make my writing look like so much swill.  So here it goes.....

What is it that we try to do when we create? We paint suffering, write love, sing joy.  We condense experience and become armchair philosophers crooning life's experiences to all who will listen and to an extent, its cathartic to the artist in a very personal way.

While that catharsis is a beautiful thing, it seems to me that an even more potent outcome of our art is when our personal triumphs and tribulations hit home with the reader in a way that changes them.  A word, turn of phrase, a lilt, a rhythm. A vision of something that stirs a memory, stacks nostalgia mountain high or mines the depths of sorrows trench, two shovels are better than one when the heart is concerned.

I was thinking about the way something so simple as a shared experience or a similarity can change someone's outlook to the point that a morning drive can be made bearable or even an entire life changed because of a new perspective and a feeling that you are not alone in your pain or joy. That light bulb turning on because someone sees things a bit more clearly than you do at any particular moment.

Ok, long intro to my point....but,  I was watching reruns of Northern Exposure the other day, I had forgotten how much I missed that show.  I would pay a subscription to have a radio station that would play me Chris in the Morning on my drive to work.  The bits of history, poetry, philosophy, community that he imparted at the beginning of each episode always kept me coming back.  KBHR and that show where the reason when I worked from my house, I never made any appointments between 10:00 and 11:00 am, that was my happy time. That radio show reminds me of our little community of writers and artists. I can't count the times that I have found purchase with the words of all of my friends in the Garden.  I have had bad days turned good, I have been filled with crushing empathy, I have rejoiced in good fortune and shared a some steamy and romantic thoughts with you all. We are in essence philosophers and counselors to each other lifting and supporting at every turn.  When you take breaks like I often do, I find a bit of hole in who I am and a need to get my feet back on the ground.

So today's challenge is this.  I want you to pretend you are Chris in the Morning and write a bit of personal philosophy that you would like to impart to your friends.  Something you have been thinking about and strikes a chord with you and may resonate with others as well. Tell me about something that fills you up, turns you on, something that makes you think. You can put it in a poem, a story, an essay...you know I have no preference when it comes to format, just get me thinking about what you are thinking about. Give me a philosophical jag from hell, or just a thought for the day, doesn't matter, just let us chew on a little piece of your soul.

This may seem like it leaves a lot of room for interpretation...and you are right, but it is a starting point and not a one of you has ever let me down! Give me one really profound thought to carry me through my weekend trip to San Diego and I will as always, be forever grateful!

32 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

Having been more than a little in love with Chris in the Morning, this prompt brings back many fond reminders of an outstanding series - the likes of which we seldom see these days.

I will be away this weekend, but hope to get to your prompt by hook or by crook. Thanks Corey!

Janine Bollée said...

My, what a write!
And yes, I have missed you and I'm glad to learn that you were absent for healthy reasons rather than health or misery.
As often with the blog world, I was sitting here thinking roughly the same thing about influences on mood backwards and forth.
Amazing how those currents float through the ether and land in places far apart.
Great to have your prompt to think on today.

L. Edgar Otto said...

aprille nice, strange you said that I was going to write on this theme regardless if it was in the toads theme for facebook but checked to see the theme and wow the synchronicity.

Sorry, I am remiss in not knowing the character or the show before writing.

I hope, writing a little deeper than I had planed to... this is what of philosophy the challenger hoped for...may she ponder in the sunlight what of you bright poets for her enfold so to go with her.

Marian said...

oooooh Corey! i love this prompt so much. the shared experience of loving Northern Exposure (and my (our?) boyfriend Chris in the Morning) cements my suspicion that you and i are actually the same person. okay the secret is now out. hah!
thank you for your lovely, lovely piece of writing this morning. i am working like a dog today but will write. over.

Helen said...

Love these words Corey ... 'Ok, long intro to my point' ~

I enjoyed the intro and your point immensely!!!! This isn't a simple challenge, it's food for thought, a gourmet meal, a smorgasbord!!!

Ella said...

I miss that show! I use to live in Alaska ;D
I love your view Corey and I think I need this portal to return to myself!
I have been withdrawn-thanks for the hand, the light, the inspired thoughts!

hedgewitch said...

This was a great bit of writing, Corey,I really enjoyed it--and how could we ever forget or replace you here at toads? I am zonked today after a lot of outdoor work in the heat, but I will see if tomorrow my brain may revive enough to think about a philosophy worthy of a northern exposure.

California Girl said...

did not mean to enter twice. I thought I could remove #5 & replace w/ a different url. If you can delete the #5 entry & leave #6, I'll be a happy camper.

Kerry O'Connor said...

@California Girl - Both your links have been removed. If you wish to write a piece specifically for this prompt (rather than linking up an older post), please include a link back to Real Toads.

California Girl said...

I am writing a piece on San Diego for my Empty Nest Evolution blog. I'll re-enter that to Mr. Linky & link back to your web site from my post.

ed pilolla said...

hey cool! i just linked up. looking forward to reading others...

Anonymous said...

I have never seen Northern Exposure. But should. Anyway, all very interesting. I am not sure of the profundity of my post. Although I did try to get some philosophy in there. k.

Fireblossom said...

California Girl, I've deleted your latest link, which was to nothing but an ad for Christian singles. (God isn't up to the task?)

Fireblossom said...

Anyway, I have never watched Northern Exposure (though I was a huge fan of the Canadian show "North of 60", from which I heard it was loosely taken, and Americanized) and so I have no idea who Chris is. :-(

Gail said...

I was such of fan of his thoughts and commentaries.

I think I would be deeply challenges to produce the quality of work that came from the creator of his dialogue. Chris always made me think.

Fireblossom said...

California spammer...knock it off!!!!

California Girl said...

I'm not spamming. I have 2 blogs dating to 2008. I post periodically to Theme Thursday. No idea why the link on this blog is not working. I wrote a nice piece. Ah well.

Susan said...

I could do a Chris for a little Northern Exposure, and probably earn the teasing of the town too! I seriously enjoyed his ruminations. Thanks for the search for profundity ... I hope you and many someone elses find it!

Margaret said...

Loved Northern Exposure - used to watch it for a couple of years and then life got busy... I will have to Netflix that show and enjoy it all the way through!! Thank you!

Susie Clevenger said...

Corey, so good to see you hear and as always love to read what you write. Great challenge!

Janine Bollée said...

As my first entry was only one sentence long, and I felt it was a bit of a cop-out, I have entered what I just wrote now, after a magic solstice shortest night dominated by the light of the Supermoon. Not much sleep, and a nightingale as well. Hope this is acceptable.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Fireblossom said...

California Girl--yes, I found your piece on San Diego, but I had to go through your profile to find it. Your links here kept being for Christian singles.

L. Edgar Otto said...

Fireblossom

I managed to put a comment there but other things came up (no Christian singles just spam sells) and when I found the page my computer froze so I unplugged and restarted for California Girl...

California Girl said...

Thanks. Wondering if Mr Linky defaults to that because I chkd the box for the "cookie removal tool"?

Jinksy said...

Once again, I only got to this late on Saturday, but it gave me a morning of pondering, as a great excuse not to do anything else! :) Thank you.

Marian said...

have i mentioned how much i love this prompt? thanks so much, Corey. thoughtful, sweet, smart, all those good things here! love love love.

hedgewitch said...

Corey thanks for this--you got me thinking, and I hope what resulted has some kind of intelligibility to others! I haven't watched much Northern Exposure, but I did try to get the idea of some other person's thoughts on my topic being a springboard to what I ended up writing.

Ella said...

I love this challenge! Thank you Corey and Chris ;D

Mine is more a ramble...but I enjoyed doing it!

Isadora Gruye said...

My swill is up...thanks for this great prompt Corey!

Herotomost said...

Thanks everyone for participating.....made me happy. Sorry about so many typos in my responses, I was answering on my phone and iPad while on vacation!!!! You all made my vacation that much better!!!

grapeling said...

In very late. My philosophy seems to be, manana. :) ~ M