A ladder parable

I jumped as high as I could- straight up- but it still went over my head!

This is sort of a free-form debate, so, what went over your head, the ladder or the sky? TY for responding, I thought this topic was doomed, to be honest.

I guess its that I don't understand the question nor how it relates to the parable. (ahm thicker'n a fence post)

It's really just a statement about how we percieve things in the world. Some people are functional, some literal, some see things "outside the box." To sum it up, this is a discussion about where we feel we fit into these sort of categories as thinkers, and whether or not we feel we might benefit from another perspective. Life experience also influences the way we think. One can be absolutely brilliant in one area, and totally clueless in another. I know I am. As per my question, I think you just answered it by your post. The ladder went over your head, but you still made the attempt to reach the sky. What I mean is, you show some interest in learning more, despite the climb. Man, I feel like I'm coming off as very preachy. I hope not, it's not my intent.

I always go with my first impression, Cav...and that is Jacob's ladder. I like this type philosophical question. Everyone can have a go at it, even twyvel of the moss. <smile>

Children want to know stuff. They want answers. My son was always asking, "How come?"

I do hope 'twyvel of the moss' shows up.

Thank you for the invite, cav. I'm thinking of the best way to describe the boomerang ladder and I will return with those thoughts.

Or the very good looking lady who reached the top of her profession wrong by wrong!

guffaw

Again, here we see the ladder as metaphor. In this situation, a man builds a fine ladder, and then one day takes a look at how it rotted in the rain and says "F--king ladder!"

After some time alone, his thoughts turn to climbing those rungs again, even if he falls.

As an avocation, I do temperament workshops as temperament applies to decision making.

I think one type will want rules for how the ladder is climbed, will follow those implicitly, and will resent any who presume to climb it any other way.

One type will be like the little boy and consider many other possibilities for ladder use.

One type will spend all his/her time pondering the meaning of ladders but will not see that just being functional is sufficient whether or not one contemplates a deeper meaning, and

One type will intentionally do it differently just to see if he can or just to rebel against the norm.

For myself, I very much value thinking outside the box and admire those who can do that. On the other hand, I get a nosebleed three rungs up on a ladder and avoid them as much as I possibly can.

While thinking about your question I found myself singing:

Ezekiel saw the wheel, way up in the middle of the air,
Ezekiel saw the wheel, way in the middle of the air,
The big wheel run by faith, little wheel run by the grace of God
Wheel within a wheel, 'way in the middle of the air,
Wheel, wheel, wheel, wheel in the middle of the air.
Wheel, wheel, wheel, wheel in the middle of the air

That song really helped me clarify my thoughts!

As I've said elsewhere, boomerangs are a signifigant form in my life so I'm sure my ladder is boomerang shaped.

In many respects we are the thower and the boomerang is our thoughts and actions. Each throw is a rung on our ladder. Sometimes the boomerang hits its target, sometimes it misses and sometimes it is thrown just for the sheer joy of movement. No matter why its thrown it has consequences, many of which we never see and some of which we never realize.

So we should always think before we throw.

In another sense we are ourselves the boomerang, thrown by what some call God. Our very existence changes the world in some way.

We can only hope that God thinks before he throws.

And that we make a sturdy rung.

(no news about my car until Monday)

It just occurred to me that a real ladder can only be climbed by one person at a time. Others may follow, but only in tandem. Will there be room at the top for all? No! but if each has his own, they may climb in different directions, and yet reach the same cloud. It's the descending that makes for difficult moments.

And, boomer. I thought about "we are climbing Jacob's ladder"......<smile>

Life is one big ladder as Newton said:-

"If i have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giant"

My four dimensional ladder is prayer, and these are some of the thing's I have learned-
I will have peace of mind in direct proportion to the peace of mind I bring into the lives of other people, and it has taught me the true meaning of the admonition "happy are ye who know these things and do them. "For the only problems I have now are those I create when I break out in a rash of self-will-run-riot.

I didn't write that, but it's a nice little reminder of what I should be doing at any given time.
The Dalai Lama belives a reasonably well adjusted person is someone who is kind, compassionate and exercises empathy towards others. I have found being able to do this at any given time has made me a better person.
My ladder of understanding works through people, he sends them to me, and me to them.
If I can't improve the silence with these methods I say nothing, unless I'm being humorous, which to me is an act of kindness if I can make someone smile.
I get to be on A2K intermittently all day, as I work at home, (I take care of my mom and neice) I love interacting with folks all over the world and I try and do my little Dalai Lama exercises, if I get the chance, but I'm still new here and just started to feel comfy with some of the folks. The majority of my posts are just plain silly/fun stuff, but perhaps in the future I will be able to give a bit more.


Cav, thanks for starting this thread.

Nicely put

Thanks, paulaj. I love your signature.

Empty is space, empty is the atom
Sky is everywhere, stay at home
Climbing is delusion, stand still
Ladder to the sky, a sucker deal

Cav, could you explain what the boy was saying with his four dimensional ladder... I didn't understand.