I admit it. I’m a collector. Not of buttons or coins, but of books and ideas; and, my life’s journey has blessed me with an abundance of both. Sometime ago I decided it might be wise to share some of these thoughts with my family and friends… with the hope that they might enjoy them as much as I have. The result of which is this website called “Reason and Reflection.”
Here is meant to be a repository of some of the thoughts and writings that have been most formative in shaping the person that I am and of yet to be. You will find old writings and contemporary ones. Some will be original and others will be fashioned by others. You will discover that some ideas will be well fleshed out while others will be rudimentary or fragmentary; but it’s time to get these written and shared. Quips and quotes and humor will be interspersed with the seriousness of philosophy and reason. Some will wane philosophically while others will be simple observations. It is a genuine potpourri of a life. Use it as you wish, but I pray that it might be a place of discovery and encouragement.
The choice of title was a relatively easy one, because it conveys the two main ingredients which I believe to be necessary for living a meaningful and enjoyable life… To some extent they are counterweights of one another, forming a balanced life of clear thought and spontaneous delight… To discover the awe, mystery and wonder within each day… gradually forming a life worth living.
The value of Reason in the pursuit of valid understanding could be said to be one of my personal fundamental guiding principles. However, so often in today’s discourse, concepts and policies are promoted using disinformation and faulty reasoning. Because this is so prevalent, much of the content on this topic will focus on the proper use of language to communicate effectively, and the proper use of reason to arrive at valid and truthful conclusions.
While an examination of Reason may be regarded as a somewhat heady topic, that of Reflection will be quite the opposite. In Reflection it is my hope that you will discover varied snippets of musings born out of an innate curiosity and special awareness of all that can be appreciated and enjoyed…gratitude, humor, beauty, spirituality, memories, creativity, pathos…will all dance to the rhythm of delight. Their focus will be to truly develop “an abundant life.”
A marriage of mind and heart…of thought and emotion…to be experienced together in an effort to discover what it means to be an authentic human being.
So, let’s get on with it shall we?
Larry E. Maugel, M.D.