Not surprisingly, I feel the need to make some sort of wise or at least pithy comments on the coming of the New Year. At a minimum, these comments should be less trite than "clean slate," "restarting," and "let's hope this year is better than last." But this morning, with the sun shining and football beckoning at my parents', and less than a week left in Omaha to spend with them, I have no great interest in soul searching.
So let me briefly share some interesting quotations I've recently encountered.
The first two are from Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon. It's a book about his journey around America via back roads, and is a "must read." Sometimes his stories are just interesting observations of nature and people; sometimes they are more philosophical.
He writes: "...what you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do - especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road."
Then he states the "blue-highway maxim: 'I can't take any more' comes just before 'I don't give a damn.'"
As you can imagine, I really like those quotes.
A dear friend sent me the following, from a New York Hospital Chaplain named Hollis Huston - I like his blog so much that I have added him to the blog roll. Huston writes, "The soul, however, is who you are when you've lost the thing you thought you were."
And I will end back with Least Heat-Moon. Here he describes a man who is definitely stuck in his own misery:
"He had so lost belief in a world outside himself that, without [personal] crisis, he had nothing worth talking about."
For 2013, I hope that we can all find our souls and also retain our belief in a world outside ourselves.
Happy New Year!
As always, Karen, you have a way with words. Thank you for the thoughtful comments/quotes. You are special to us. Love, P and G
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation on Blue Highways -- I'll check it out. I really enjoy reading your blog and am vicariously experiencing your driveabout. Hope to do this myself, someday. Best wishes for the new year and drive safely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Papa & Gaga and Steve!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen - Larry Zepp here,
ReplyDeleteI read about your adventure in the Sunday Journal Gazette - thanks for sharing your experiences and travels on your Driveabout blog. I always thought doing a driveabout would be a great experience. I will enjoy reading new eposodes of your blog.
I have been building a two seat aluminum plane for the last 1 1/2 years. In about two years I hope to have this flying and be able to do a flyabout. We are still doing our Young Eagles rallies at Smith Field - Thanks for all of your help to save this airport! This past Oct. we exhibited in the Maker Faire - sharing about Young Eagles and showing kids and adults how to make thing out of aluminum. The library support of the Maker Station / Maker Faire is a model for the nation - Fort Wayne is one of only five US cities that have this association.
The hybrid company was sold to Cummins Crosspoint in Sept. We are now resuming selling hybrids for buses and I was able to stay in Fort Wayne. I run their Technology Center and have a great job with a great company.
Here is a driveabout safety tip that has worked for me - I had a couple of road rage close calls in Detroit in the early 80's. I got to thinking how I could have some protection if someone was trying to run me off the road. My solution was to carry a flare gun, and I have been doing this ever since. It is a great emergency signalling device and is required for boaters and pilots. It is non-lethal and legal. If someone is trying to run you off the road, a flare will probably convince them to go somewhere else. Check out the Olin plastic flare gun at any sporting goods store. It may be useful in an emergency and is great peace of mind.
I am not on facebook, but I can be reached at larryzepp2@gmail.com . Safe and happy travels!
Best Regards, Larry Zepp