My Thoughts Prefer Side Streets - Collected Essays and Other Reflections, by Leslie Miklosy

My Thoughts Prefer Side Streets is a delightful and inspirational collection of original essays and short reflections, accompanied by fanciful illustration, that consider how we can get along in the world and meet the challenges of life.

Author Leslie Miklosy draws on varied interests that invite the mind in new directions, and creatively engage life's assorted knots and mysteries. With humor and seriousness, he explores such topics as attitude, sensuality, play, generosity, problems and solutions, the unknown, relationship with self, and faith.

[Excerpt from Chapter 3 Essay "Would You Like to Come Out and Play?"]
I have a confession to make: I'm a middleaged
fellow who likes to play. I will, for
instance, while in the throes of a particular
mood, pretend to lunge at our family dog. The
dog, smart animal that he is, picks up on
the counterfeit attack and off we go, enjoying
our merry little dance.
Or maybe I'll get into a verbal joust with a coworker.
Each of us will try to outdo and outwit
the other. With a good repartee started, the
rejoinders fly back and forth like Ping-Pong
balls, to our mutual delight.
In many situations throughout the day, I'll
have occasion to meander, and duck, and
twist and turn, bop and weave, turn inside
out and stop on a dime.

Some people are too good
At trying too hard
To be too happy.

Who has not gotten lost,
Sometime or other,
In their own subtleties?

Do not reduce me to an understanding.
I am more than that.

Any movement toward solution gathers energy;
Any movement away from solution depletes energy.
Act accordingly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leslie Miklosy has lived in Argentina, Venezuela, and in the U.S. mostly in North Carolina and New York. A former administrator in mental health and philanthropy, he currently works as a school teacher.

His interests include storytelling, mythology, psychotherapy, and comedy. He enjoys wordplay and the vain pursuit of answers to life's larger questions.

His previous book is Which Is More Round, the World or Your Tummy?: Offbeat Reflections on Serious Living.