Life in the Past Lane

I read the funnies daily and "Shoe" is one of my favorite cartoon strips. A few days ago the setting was Roz' diner where an old bird was reminiscing about the past and Cosmo asked Roz what he was going on about to which she replied "He's living life in the past lane". I know some people like that, people I used to work with before retiring. Whenever we get together they inevitably end up talking about the past.

I don't spend a lot of time thinking or talking about the past. We all do of course but I try to minimize it. A lot of my past wasn't all that great and I'd rather focus on the future anyway. Today though I realized there's more than one past lane. Besides the reminiscing lane there is a subliminal lane of memories that affect our future actions based on the past kind of like programming. It came up as I was moving some pottery items, pyrometric cones and bisque ware from our old house. I had been pondering whether I should sell my wheel and kiln and not pursue pottery any more. I haven't done it in years and lately had harbored doubts about my ability to do it again but seeing and handling the pots I threw 20 some years ago reassured me that I could do it again. So, to borrow a motto from the Obama campaign, FORWARD! It may take until next spring to get it organized but my pottery will rise again.

I will continue photography of course. The photo is of a beaver pond in Wilmington, NY. I found it on a trail I hadn't ever explored before under what I consider typical autumn Adirondack light. Canon 7D on a tripod, 18-135mm EFS lens, 1/8th sec. @ f/22.