Anything but Mine

 Listen, reasons never will explain.
Freedom, is just to save time,
'Til I'm strong enough,
To bend and not break.

I'm standing on the hardline,
Taking my sweet time
Praying that you'll see why,
I'm slow to change.

- Waylon Jennings

With four inches of fresh snow it is difficult to feel the warmth of the summer portrayed in the video.  The feelings are rather easy to come by.  They are the result of reality taking hold and making its presence known.  There are things far from our control.  I know why people can question the existence of God.  Especially when things hurt.  It is curious how He is not questioned when things are running smoothly.  But one bump in the road and everyone wants to debate the presence of the One who made the car.  Funny thing about humans and human nature.  I do find it interesting that beyond our own perceptions, life has a way of happening.  We can climb our personal mountains, shake our fist at the sky and demand answers, but, our mountain is not Sinai.  We have to come to terms with the reality that is, not always what is hoped.  I think that by focusing on what it should be, and how much that can hurt, we forget how great what is. 

Open your eyes you might see

 I've had good days and bad days
And going half mad days
I try to let go but you're still on my mind
I've lost all the old ways
I'm searching for new plays
Putting it all on the line

-"If the phone doesn't ring, its me" - Jimmy Buffett

I read once that what deserves to live, lives and that which doesn't die.  While I abhor stereotypes and all encompassing statements, I would like to explore this one briefly.  But a detour.  Why does a child always reach for the hot stove?  I don't remember doing this as a kid, but I think everyone does.  I'm sure I did.  How else are we supposed to learn that hot stoves burn?  I (we) never take our parents word for it.  So what does the belabored parent finally relent to the hearing impaired child?  A burned hand and lesson taught by deed, rather than warning.  While my hand hasn't been burned, it does feel the heat and the hair maybe singed.  But sooner or later we all come to our senses.  And the only sensible thing to do is to vanish.  As there is no other way.  When those things that never get said, and they shouldn't, it is time to put a stop to it.  We've all heard the expression about unringing a bell . It cannot be done.  But we can decide to ring the bell.

I'm not going to ring the bell.  I'm going to put it down.  Step back from the stove.

If the phone doesn't ring, it's me.