Life at Warp Five

It's been a year since I started this blog, and I feel I have one of the more interesting blogs, but I'm very biased. This time last year, I wrote about the little ones turning three and 1/2 a year respectively, and one of my guys getting married.

Now, one year later, the little ones have turned 4 and 1.5 respectively. It's nothing short of providential that they are in the family.

And one of my other guys got married.

I remember last year saying to the guys, "It doesn't feel like one of us just got married." This time, we were all seasoned veterans at this whole wedding thing and it was as if we went right from Nick's wedding to Mark's wedding the next weekend, rather than the next year.

I have to wonder which one of us is next.

I remember saying to Mark, this year's groom, "It will be interesting to see

where we all are this time a year from now."

Well, here we are. Only this time it seems it got here faster than it did last year. I think one of the few constants in life is the pace at which it moves us along. I've heard it gets faster as you grow older.

Perhaps we're all experiencing Hubble's Law, that is: "v = H₀D."

Meaning, the universe is expanding, and the further out we go, the faster it is moving.

So the galaxies shown here are moving away from us now faster than they were when

this picture was taken.

So I'm moving faster now that I was this time last year. And as I look back at what

I've learned this past year, I can see that. Tom Jackson, Dave Ramsey and myself, all

have different ways of saying the same thing. Tom Jackson says, "Don't wait for the

opportunity to prepare. As you prepare, you will create your opportunities." Dave Ramsey

says, "Live like no one else so later, you can live like no one else." And I often tell my

students to take care of what they need to care of what they need to when they need to

so when the time comes, they can do what they are free to want to do.

Then there are the things I'm unwilling to admit to myself, though I know they're true.

I've also learned I have unique perspective on almost everything. I can make a street

light look like the sun.

Aside from this showing in my photography, music, and writing, it's shown up in

my work. Almost everyone I work with, has been given up on by their school system,

family, or whoever, and have been told they're insignificant. I've learnedI can make them

realize they're capable of great things. A little bit of time spent, and care given will do that.

Funny thing how something small can alter our perspectives. When what we see gets

interrupted and becomes an imperfect reflection, when we get close we can see the beauty

in the distortion. We can see the traces of what is to be. A little spur of wind blown across

the surface of still waters creates a beautiful impression.

A small rock sends ripples that can be seen across the entire body of water.

And here I am learning to see past the imperfections, the disturbances, the distortions, knowing there is beauty.