On the Road Again

As you read this, AURORA has just passed the halfway point on her excruciatingly frustrating tour of the American Southwest's construction detours.  Nancy and Dan were forced to drive the route through Arkansas with the pilot truck alone to confirm the height restrictions before taking AURORA along the selected roadways.  That chore completed, they and AURORA are "on the road again" as Willie Nelson so happily intoned.  I want to credit Nancy for sending along the last few photos since I am waaaay too busy biting my nails here in MKE.  Speaking metaphorically, looking into a rear view mirror is not my favorite pastime, although I do it constantly while driving, of course.  I am convinced that little can be gained by looking backward and feel that looking forward is far more productive. Yes I have often heard the old saw about 'those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it' but remembering history and looking backward are not intrinsically the same activity.  Remembering history is a function of acquiring and keeping knowledge.  'Looking backward' far too often infers a reluctance to embrace today's realities.  Few things in life are as important to me as acquiring knowledge, (maybe eating rates pretty high on the list as well) and thus, I try diligently to remember history without the negative aspect of believing it was better than today.  Thinking yesterday was better than today is a slippery slope down which I have slid in the past and I have little inclination to repeat those downer episodes in the future.  Will I always be successful at avoiding them?  No of course not, and that's why I am reluctant to use the rear view mirror of life.  For me, it facilitates negativity and I do NOT need that in my life.  Negativity personifies "looking into a glass darkly" and I prefer my reflections to be bright and smiling.  So as someone who has long ago passed the halfway point of life, let me offer a trite toast to AURORA wherever she rides at the moment... in my experience, the sun shines ever more brightly during the second half of any journey.  May it do so for AURORA and all the rest of you.  (who should be acquiring knowledge instead of reading this rant)  Happy Hump Day.