Inklings
An inkling of an idea.
How many “inklings” does the average person have in a lifetime? Writers, of course, have them all time, because, well, we’re writers, and that’s where a lot of our ideas come from. But how about the “average” person, the ordinary Joe? It’s a tough question.
Not just tough because of the numbers involved, but first, you have to define what an inkling is. The dictionary says it is “a slight indication or suggestion”, or “a slight knowledge or vague notion”. This is quite an all-encompassing definition in some respects.
Think about it. Your first inkling occurs first thing in the morning: You have an inkling you’re awake. Before you’re actually awake, you have an inkling that you are. Then you wake up. Of course, this doesn’t apply to the person who awakens from a dead sleep, or has insomnia and really doesn’t get to sleep in the first place, but in general terms, that’s your first inkling of the day.
Your next inkling might be what to have for breakfast – or even to have breakfast. What to wear to work, what errands you need to run after work, where to have lunch, whether to eat out for dinner or cook. All these inklings before you even step out the door.
And if you have kids, forget about it. Kids bring up whole new sets of inklings. Is he growing normally, is that sniffle the beginnings of a cold, what clothes shall I dress him in, is the time he smacked that other child in the sandbox last week the start of an aggressive personality? And hundreds of others.
Inklings come in all shapes and sizes. What was Neil Armstrong thinking the moment he stepped onto the surface of the moon? What wallpaper should I put on my computer? When’s the next time I’ll hug my spouse? Where’s that ant on the sidewalk going, and where’s he been?
Inklings serve a variety of purposes. They inform, comfort, frighten and elate. They tease, tempt, dismay, and delight. I pity the person who has no inklings. Of course, this person is probably in a coma, so maybe I shouldn’t pity him.
Can one have too many inklings? Absolutely. This is probably the mark of an obsessive-compulsive personality. They are practically driven by their inklings, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, but usually ends up being a bad thing. Can one have too few inklings? Yes, although this is probably the mark of either a highly unimaginative person, or one who’s heading for that coma. In general, most people have lots of inklings.
So
what have we learned from all of this?
Well, inklings are usually a good thing.
They inspire ideas, promote creativity, and increase the quality of
life. In general, they are safe to have,
cost nothing, and expect nothing in return.
Inklings and people go together like
May you never run out of inklings.
