So Who Are We Now?

It becomes fascinating to examine old photographs, especially when they contain an image of you and even more so when they contain you as part of your family. Pictured here is my 1974 high school graduation and left-to-right is my grandfather Kondler (my mom's dad,) my mother, me, Grandma Mae (my grandfather's second wife) and my father.

This is looking back 35 years ago for me. I think about some of the drama that we had already known at this point (like moving these grandparents out of Newark, NJ during the 1968 race riots) and the some of the drama yet to come (such as my parents divorcing in the next six years and I not speaking to my father for more than twenty years beyond that.) Yet this shot is one that captures one of those "momentous occasions" we all rendezvous with numerous times during our current stay. We have "no idea" what is around the corner; all we know is how the moment feels (sometimes.)

That's really the point this is coming around to. It can all seem so "obvious" when we look back with the benefit of hindsight. "How could I have NOT known that would happen? All the signs were pointing right at it! I must have been blind." I'll quote from one of my favorite albums and animated movies, "The Point" by Harry Nilsson. As his character "The Rockman" says, "You see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear, dig?"

I often remind myself of that now as I see the world of my choosing. We all do it. The question is, is it really the world that you and I want to see? Well, answer this... would you rather be right or would you rather be happy? Careful, the answer you give might not be what you think! More on that tomorrow.