Brief Moments

     We may generally accept that human knowledge doubles at an unprecedented rate. In some fields that happens every six months. Some fields nearly every week. At times I despair for the knowledge that we've lost:  The library at Alexandria; Mayan writings destroyed by the church; for that matter written history (even with symbols) destroyed by conquering armies across the planet.   I'm not an archaeologist or anthropologist, but I do love studying their work.  Maybe that's another degree coming.  So you'll have to forgive me if the dating of the graphics posted here disagree with one field expert or another.  I'm just thinking with my fingers on the keyboard, and some of these symbols are probably more accurate if described in a range of years.       There is, at least to me, an amazing correlation and symmetry that crosses continents and cultures. Long before written language we humans communicated with symbols....

     Choosing a word that begins with the letter x in the blogging challenge took less than two minutes thanks to the speed of search engines and this internet connection.   I will confess that xenagogue isn't in my daily vocabulary, though the definition certainly is by activity.        "From Greek, to lead, leading; bring, take; plus a “guest” or stranger. A reference to someone who  conducts strangers or foreigners; a tour guide."        In fact, even knowing the definition I still wouldn't use it.  It does however describe part of my life philosophy. I wonder how often in the unending list of tasks we have to accomplish we miss opportunities to have a positive impact on someone's life through simple gestures.  The internal nature of our thinking leaves us mostly oblivious to the external conditions and needs of those we pass on the sidewalk, in the halls of our organizations, o...