End and Begin

Al celebrated the end of the semester yesterday. Abatement from the stress left Al feeling relieved in the late hours of the night. If yesterday was the end of the semester then it ended right. He had dinner with Tall, Cali, and Captain Cool at Famous Dave’s Bar B Que. It was good to get together with the guys and just hang out. The common threads of our lives could have come from the same spool. Art tends to link that way.

If yesterday was the last day of Al’s first year in grad school then today is the first day of the break. This day is off to a slow start. In fact, it doesn’t feel any different than yesterday. He biked home after drinks and passed out last night and might do the same thing today.

Riding in the night air was he last memory and I don’t think there is anything quite like it. Time seems to be so enjoyable when you are just rolling along.Faced with the presence of time  Al must sit down and think ,without obstruction and with clarity about how past and present relate.

Temptation to do the opposite and not think, but make work  is a roaring voice in his mind. When we sit down to think where does one begin?  Does what you truly care about push it’s way to the front of a crowded line of thoughts in waiting? When your thoughts surface you usually find yourself thinking about the painful things from the past, moments of happiness, or what moves to make in the future.
All points of focus can be delectable and unsettling.