Why This Blog-Update 2

I've been thinking a lot about this blog and what it means to me. Some days I feel more committed to it than others. But something in me keeps pushing me on, despite bumps and false starts. 

In the last three months, the non-stop chaos of multiple, and apparently. endless attempts at dismantling all of the good in this country has left me kinda breathless and worn out. And, writing was the last thing on my mind.

Then the other day, I saw this quotation and suddenly the "why this blog" thoughts gelled in my mind.

"They say you die twice. Once when you stop breathing and the second, a bit later on, when somebody mentions your name for the last time." 

This quote has been attributed to a number of authors and there are several versions of it around, so I won't spend any time on that topic. Whoever wrote or said it, when I read it, I realized why I'm spending time on this blog. And oddly enough, it has nothing to do with a legacy or somehow forestalling the final mention of my name.It has everything to do with me loving these stories. Some are funny and some are at least mildly entertaining to someone else but all of them leave me smiling. It may just be this old man geeking out on nostalgia but I'm thinking it's more than that.

And there is one main reason for that. Over the years I had the opportunity to see and do things that turned out to be once-in-a-lifetime experiences. And because of those ultimately ephemeral experiences, I am who I am today. And, my curiosity goes on unabated. However, my ability to follow my curiosity has diminished some. 

As an example, I can still run dozens of miles but not as fast as I did even a couple years ago. And yet, I'm still learning how to run in this new era of my life and I'm still seeing sights that are never going to be repeated. And in many cases, they are sights no one else will ever see. Hence, the #whyirun tag on my social media accounts.

Here's another thing that I still have but I know is slowly diminishing…my memory. Writing these thoughts and stories provides a huge benefit to me. They remind me of more stories that apparently had actually been archived in this geezer brain, but not forgotten! And so I keep writing. And I keep remembering stuff.

So, in the end, you are under no obligation to read what I've written. I love the comments and feedback I get. In fact, some of those comments trigger more memories, so keep it up! However, it turns out, you're not not my primary audience.

I am.