It was clearly time to be my own parade. In the universe of all possibilities, I realized that I could sometimes turn a phrase, entertain an audience and carry an argument. But there comes a point when slipping and sliding around the surface of someone else’s hollow world fails to sustain the soul. It may buy food and keep the electricity flowing, but it doesn’t nourish personal essence.

The nature of big box business today requires either the abandonment of individualism or at least the appearance of total submission. Eventually, I became unable to play an assigned role. Out I walked.Guidance was clearly needed. But from where? Suffocated since childhood by the dome of religion and conservatism covering the American South, the only safe place I knew was within my own mind.

And it was within myself that I discovered Forward Communication. The search was not for a means of employment because I had determined that regardless how I earned money, my principal objective was to write. Instead, the search was for a meaningful framework for communication.

The terms of my search brought significant and liberating results. While there is nothing unique or startling about the elements of Forward Communication, I am discovering that the benefit stems from their application.

Without devoting excessive discussion to “communication,” allow that the term regards the conveyance of concepts—any conveyance, any concept that meets the requirements. But meeting the requirements is essential.

One of the keys is the word, “forward.” My internal debate that led to the selection of this word is inconsequential. The important thing is that, for me, in addition to the relationship to my name—drive forward—the word connected tellingly to both “understanding” and “progressive.” I was searching for something to express both the type of understanding I want to convey and the character of anticipated results, i.e., progressive.

The fundamental requirements of Forward Communication are simple but they are essential. If a specific communication fails to produce both a deeper understanding of its concept and produce progressive results, it is not Forward Communication. At this point, the definition of “progressive,” deliberately selected, in part, for its ambiguity, becomes important.

It was necessary for me to reign in my personal tendency to associate “progressive” with leftist policy perspective. That was easily accomplished by identifying “progressive” with “forward.” The results of Forward Communication are required to be progressive in the sense that they accrue benefit. And what is any true benefit if not progressive?

Because of how Forward Communication can be applied, deeper understanding can be made of many concepts and progressive results can be obtained from a broad assortment of efforts. Given the nature of the two requirements of Forward Communication, ethics are ensured.

This bare-bones framework permits flexibility, as well, with a focused expansion of details as investigation and consideration proceed. In this regard, Forward Communication is like a balloon capable of containing a tremendous amount of input. It is adaptable, flexible, and widely applicable.

Best of all, Forward Communication provides an avenue of discovery leading to a positive interpretation. Because the quest is for improved understanding, the mind is continuously alert for new elements and exciting possibilities.

If Forward Communication seems much ado about very little, consider the world from which it emerged. Too much communication is mere publicity intended to channel attention toward mundane, often unseemly, unworthy results.

Having embarked, wherever this journey leads, remaining mindful of the simple guidance of Forward Communication, I am confident that the fog will be pierced and the dross cleared. Progressive results are assured.

Copyright 2014 by Michael Driver

@mdMichaelDriver