Thinking Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Equally affordable,
As the breathing of air.
Although for some,
This process is painful.
Because the doing of it,
Is not often theirs to do.

But to think.
Done to do on a regular basis.
And not provoked into it.
Or paid as an incentive to attempt.
Is a blessing.
A gift from God.

Many still seem to be shocked,
When discovering this they can also do.
With a mind to use.
However...
This to do for those unaccustomed,
To this done independently...
May require lots of practice,
Before exposing this activity with thoughts...
Shared.
And daring to compete,
With those quick to give unsolicited opinions.
Done with speed and expertise,
Of a professional gossiper.

Thinking.
Requires practice.
Talking to oneself.
In sessions of personal reasoning.
Is a good beginning.
Allowing the process some comfort.
Enabling the joy of discovery.
Yet...
One should not become frightened,
To notice...
Many suspected to have been thinkers,
Never were.
Pretenders of thought.
And victims of persuasion they are.
Acknowledge this.
Without long stares wondering...
Are minds being wasted just to entertain,
A programming of brains.

I met several thinkers.
Many years ago.
On my way to practice thinking.
And there they were.
Together.
Looking refresh and normal.
Exchanging between themselves clarity.
A clarity I had heard about.
But there I was...
In the midst of it.
Feeling blessed and grateful to be a witness!
This too also happens,
When a mind to use and a mouth closed...
Opens a different world.
Free and there to travel,
The possibilities and reality of them.