The Anachronism That Is John Walter

Summary

The web content is a reflective piece on the personal life philosophy and experiences of John Walter, encapsulated in an acronym that forms the word "JOYOUS" with an additional "S" for "Anachronism."

Abstract

The article titled "The Anachronism That Is John Walter" delves into the author's perspective on life, using the acronym "JOYOUS" with an extra "S" to explore various facets of his personality and experiences. The author expresses contentment with life, a preference for aimless wandering, and a deep appreciation for tactile experiences. He acknowledges his struggles with trauma and self-doubt, yet finds solace in solitary creative pursuits. The piece touches on the joys of unclehood, a kinship with lizards, and the concept of measuring human tenderness. It culminates in the revelation of the author's lifelong fear of freedom, eleutherophobia, and his readiness to embrace the world despite the trepidation.

Opinions

The author is introspective and accepts life as it comes, finding joy in the simple things.
He values personal freedom but admits to a fear of truly embracing it.
Solitude is important to the author for creative endeavors, preferring to work without observers.
The author has a strong connection with his family, particularly enjoying his role as an uncle.
He finds a metaphorical parallel between his own behavior and that of a lizard, emphasizing patience and observation.
The author is critical of his tendency to blame himself during difficult times.
He expresses a desire to measure human emotions, such as tenderness, in a tangible way.
The author sees his personal growth as a journey, with the article itself serving as a step outside his comfort zone.

The Anachronism That Is John Walter

An acronym with an added S

Joy — call me old fashioned, but on balance, I am a happy person. I am content I don’t yearn for things to be different. I do not want more. I have enough of everything I need. Some days are so great I wonder if I could just put them on a loop.

Obambulate — another old fashioned word. I like to wander about. I like journeys with no destination. Quests without a goal. Days that begin routinely and turn completely upside down before I fall into bed exhausted.

Haptic — I like to touch and be touched, in all senses of the word. I can’t get enough of it. My mum tried to beat it out of me, but that didn’t work. Well, it wouldn’t would it?

Nadir — My lowest points (there have been many) occur when traumatic events blindside me. I immediately fall into the belief that it was all my fault. I’ve had my head in the clouds; all the ways I like to live my life are in fact flaws. I need to buck my ideas up, pull up my socks, get my finger out and sort it because no one else will do it for me.

Woodshedding — This is my favourite thing. Whether I am working on music, the written or the spoken word I like to do it alone. I don’t like observers. I bash away at it. I sing the same line a hundred times until it is flawless. I write and rewrite and draft and redraft. I get there in the end but not in a straight line.

Avuncular — “suggestive of an uncle, especially in kindliness or geniality.” I love being an uncle. Long wild walks, hours playing in the surf, listening to extended technical monologues about Minecraft. Time wasted in the best possible way.

Lacertilian — I relate to lizards. Hours spent sitting perfectly still waiting for a fly to come close enough to be within reach of my swiftly extended tongue, waiting for sustenance — eyes and ears taking in every detail of my surroundings. I am at peace.

Tenderometer — An instrument to measure tenderness. I love that such a thing exists. Let’s not restrict its usage to gauging the readiness of fruit and vegetables for consumption. Can someone adapt it to measure the tenderness of the human heart?

Eleutherophobia — This word jumped out at me from a list of obscure words. Fear of freedom. That’s it! I have been suffering from eleutherophobia for 50 years. Afraid to just take a peek outside of the bubble I call myself. I am terrified of what I might find if I let loose everything that lies tangled up inside of me.

Rataplan — That drumming sound is my heart preparing me to …

Step out into the world. And there it is. The extra “S” that turns AN ACRONYM into Anachronism. Or almost. Do you care about the Y being an I and the missing H ? I don’t.

ILLUMINATION WRITING CHALLENGE

The Anachronism That Is John Walter