tanned leather and tire treads

It is interesting to me how I can often times take something for granted for such an extended period of time and it is not until a sudden change jars my perception that I am able to remember why I was once truly appreciative of said thing.

On a hot and humid Minnesota day, I miss my sandals.

These good ol' reliable friends have traveled with me for years through continents and time in terrain ranging from red Kenyan earth to Argentinian cobblestone. Just a couple of days earlier did they take one step closer to retirement. They might still be salvaged, but optimism will wane over time. The curious part of my recent loss is that it is on a day when they would be most highly valued that their memory is most haunting. This is, of course, a normal reaction and something that we all deal with..... and it happens with something as minimal as footwear as well as something as indescribable as the longing to be with a loved one that has passed.

Our days bring us surprises and our memories will be awakened by experiences yet to be encountered.

We are a complicated and beautiful design.

peaches and dead kitties....

As the crimson scales haunt a vacant wine glass after the opulent nectar has vanished into memory, so have my many excuses for failing to upkeep this posting source run dry.

Excuses are interesting little peaches.

Parasitic in their very nature, an excuse will cling onto the very heart of an idea and suck from it all life and potential in a very subtle and obvious manner.

Obvious, because we can rarely deceive ourselves with excuses... we know we are making them and allowing them to run our actions, albeit in small incremental portions.

Subtle, because they become the water in our fish bowl... our movement, or lack there of, is determined by all these little aquatic peaches being absorbed into our psyche.

let's taste the bittersweet familiarity of some of these peaches

"this is the last time"

"if only... then...."

"someday"

"I would... but..."

"Could've"

There are many other samples as well, but some of the culprits listed above are certainly a small portion of the dilemma.

The dilemma:  Excuses curb creativity and movement.  Progress loses to fear, the proverbial kitten of hope is drowned in the proverbial and peachy waters of complacency. You lose, I lose, we lose.

Solution: Stop drowning kittens in peach juice...

 although, why not start tomorrow.. after all it's been a long day.