The Freethinker Choir

I was asked recently, "What was it like to be a free thinker growing up in Smalltown, Arkansas?"

Note: Webster's defines freethinker as: one who forms opinions on the basis of reason independently of authority; especially : one who doubts or denies religious dogma. The conversation was not religious in nature, so I'm assuming this question was about independent thinking in general. But I like the term freethinker. I like it a lot and will use it here in the general sense.

Hummm....

Well, I didn't know I was a freethinker at the time. All I knew was that the things I was told as being The Truth didn't seem to be logical. Since everyone's opinion was the same, yet different than mine, I figured I must have it wrong. I was puzzled and kept pondering it around in my brain, thinking that I must be missing something...that some day it would all make sense.

I began to think that there was something wrong with me because I just didn't see things the way everyone else did. When I was in high school I hung around with the stoners. They were far from getting it right, but seemed to be less wrong than the other kids. At least they were open-minded to new ideas and new ways of approaching life.

When I grew up I discovered I was right about a lot of things (or righter than my momma was.) However, when I voiced my opinion folks looked at me like I was crazy, so I shut up again. Around age 33 or so I decided I didn't care if everyone thought I was crazy. I told them I was crazy right off the bat and proceeded to live my life like nobody was watching. I finally found peace, but it was a solitary peace. Freethinkers are few and far between.

My sisters think I'm quirky because I don't give a damn what anybody thinks of me. Why should I care what others think of me? Why should I seek approval from all those I encounter? What does it matter if a person I meet doesn't like me? I've lived happily all my life without their company, I can live happily the remainder of my life without it too. Every now and then I meet another freethinker, another kindred spirit, and I rejoice.

I guess my motto is: think for myself, gather evidence, weigh facts, don't be a lemming. Thankfully Hubby is like-minded in that aspect. Everybody is a little bit right, everybody is a little bit wrong. They're just right and wrong in just a little bit different ways. The truth is in there somewhere, but it isn't always recognized...not by me, not by anybody.

The key to living life as a freethinker is to find a harmony in the disharmony and make that the tune you hum each day. Soon you'll find others humming your same tune. They won't be humming exactly the same notes as you, but complimentary notes that support or accent. Pretty soon you've got yourself some four-part harmony.

I love the Internet because I've found evidence that the rest of my choir is out there. I always knew they were, I just having trouble finding them in Smalltown, Arkansas.