More friends gone. And as happens every so often I look back, reflect and recall some of the odd thoughts I’ve had in life and wonder “where the hell did that come from?” A beautiful day in 2nd grade, staring at my hand, amazed that I was a person alive and moving about in the world and confused because I couldn’t remember where I was before I was born. I thought hard about it. Where did I come from? I had to have been somewhere, I can’t just appear, can I?
At that time death would put me in heaven on top of the clouds where I would see the grandparents I never knew and all the past presidents. Funny how I remember thinkin’ that.
Then in 6 grade trying hard to grasp that there is no beginning or end to time & space I coped with my small existence in this very strange life, is it all real? This came from wondering why I have to go to school or clean my room but still, very strong stuff for a kid. From time to time I’d think about it again.
And until recently I don’t recall having any profound thoughts like that.
Although there is the reoccurring puzzle of how reality got to where it is. Going to school to educate myself to the point where I can get a job to make money to pay for food, home, insurance, cars, kids, vacations, doctors and retirement so I can finally make the time to do whatever I want as long as I’m physically able. Thats alot of pressure for a young mind.
And now, this reality we’re in formed by generations of conflict. Chasing paper and power, claiming righteousness in atrocity both physical and mental. Lines drawn in the sand as though we could actually own a piece of the earth when we, really, belong to it. Its been here far longer than us and will remain long after we’re gone. Kinda funny that people only live for 80 or so years but the words they speak, the lines they draw, the bonds they make last for generations.
Recently I’ve spent some time wondering where I was before I was here. I think, long ago, I was witness to or involved in great and terrible things in defense of a people. A pretty safe bet to think if anyone could actually remember something from hundreds of years in the past they could be involve in some sort of madness or mayhem for survival. Not that you have to be anywhere but the present to find that but I’d like to think it was more commonplace long ago. Some part of my makeup came from Scotland and there were a couple occasions while I was there where I felt connected. It could be that I was deeply moved by sharing an adventure of a lifetime with miss T but, don’t we live on in our kids? I’m a product of my parents, physically and emotionally. Maybe we pass on more than we realize, genetically. That definitely explains odd behavior and irrational fears. Before our children are conceived is it possible we make impressions of our most profound experiences in our genetic code and pass it on? Isn’t that evolution? Mutations are all happy accidents that help us survive and advance or is it all on purpose?
I’m thinkin all those years ago in that 2nd grade classroom my old soul was trying to reconnect. Its easy for me to see the old soul in some kids. Its a little harder in the adults but I’m getting better at it. Of course, that old soul of mine is made up of alot of old souls itself but, it was touched on the isle of Mull. Something going on in the Gila too. And even though some pals are gone, they live on in their kids, we’re still connected. Maybe we don’t live for only 80 or so years, we become part of a larger complex of souls.