The Seventieth Fifteenth of August

Seventy years ago today, the surrender of Japan was announced and World War II officially came to a close. Seventy years ago today, in some places there were celebrations and some danced with abandon in the streets, while in other places there was silent reflection and many of those still drawing breath wondered if it was much of a good thing at all.

101 years ago this month, the first of the 20th century's two big dances was just getting underway, and when it was over four years later, many believed it had been the dance to end all dances. But, apparently it had not been enough, and two decades later, the second and final big dance of the century was just about to kick off.

And, when that dance was over, many wondered how long it would be before the next big event came around. Indeed, for seventy years the band has been rehearsing, and there were times when we held our breath waiting for the emcee to take the stage and bid us to move to the music.

And in a sudden turnaround, Yamato has once again secured the right to buy a dance ticket...

Göbekli Tepe and the Great Cultural Bifurcation

One can imagine...

The group, having found some stability in a region,... an animal population that replenishes itself often enough feeding on plants and grasses in the area that also come back quickly enough to keep the herd from moving too far away... decides to establish a small settlement. Members who dedicate themselves to activities outside of hunting and gathering find more time for creative endeavors, children can be looked after and educated while mothers and fathers are out in the fields and groves procuring food for everyone. Everyone in the group, that is.

One can now imagine...

A more powerful group comes into the region and realizes quickly that the available animals, plants, grasses, etc... may not be sufficient for the survival of two groups. So, the original, weaker group is driven out. For the group that lost its hold on something that seemed to be a gift from whatever god or gods they worshiped, despair is likely to follow. And, in the lean months or years, they might come close to dying off completely.

But, then, one can imagine...

A small group of scouts from the larger, wandering group follows some tracks in the dirt and mud around a small mountain ridge, and in the valley below an amazing sight presents itself. The scouts rub their eyes in disbelief for a moment, and then unrestrained excitement ensues. Uncountable numbers of animal herds are spread out across the most fertile grounds they've ever encountered as far as their eyes can see.

And, they know that the game has changed.

The nth Iteration

“It's a life's work to see yourself for what you really are and even then you might be wrong. And that is something I don't want to be wrong about.”

Every day brings another chance to nail it down, to get it right. And when it's clear that you've veered too far off course, or that the wheels have come off of the wagon, tomorrow brings another chance to redefine yourself completely.

Or does it?...

“You think when you wake up in the mornin' yesterday don't count. But yesterday is all that does count. What else is there? Your life is made out of the days it's made out of. Nothin' else. You might think you could run away and change your name and I don't know what all. Start over. And then one mornin' you wake up and look at the ceilin' and guess who's layin' there?”

No matter how much forgetting you do, or think you've been able to do, there come those times, maybe in the middle of the night after waking from a deep sleep, or maybe during a break at work when you've allowed your mind to wander, when forward movement all but stops and momentum brings that trail of debris you've been dragging behind you forth and slaps you right in the back with it. And that either lays you out flat or knocks you forward, getting you moving again.

Drag it behind you long enough, and eventually it will wear down, surface layers rubbed off and replaced by slightly less unattractive ones. Gone from your view, but rubbed onto the road. And you're not the only one who has traveled that road, nor is it closed to future travelers. Maybe those future travelers can trace the remnants back to you, maybe they can't. But, either way you slice it, you've been sloppy.

Do sons deserve to bear the sins of their fathers?

"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it..."

There's always going to be a reckoning.

1st two quotes from "No Country For Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy
3rd quote from the film "Unforgiven"