And here we are, Project Earth, the world’s biggest conveyor belt, literally, as it moves around the sun. Things will be mild soon, up here on the northern hemisphere. We will lean in and move closer to the sun.
Why, it was just a year ago today that Project Earth was at this very same position. Time sure flies when you’re moving through orbit. We age and we grow, and look at it this way, a year has gone by since this very day.
But what does that mean?
Well, for some people this means more of the same. For some people this means one year away from a previous life. Some people see a year as another year of experience, which is the seasoning that adds flavor to our personality. This is where we get our substance from, which is pretty substantial, if you think about it.
It was a mild winter this year. We are three weeks away from spring, which comes to us on March 19, 2020.
I think about the year it is, 2020. What a trip it’s been. I think about the way we were as kids, way back before we had this technology.
I think we thought we’d have flying cars by now.
Is this still an idea?
Is there an app for that?
I think we thought we’d be living this super, hi-tech life, which we are (I suppose.)
I’m not sure if this is what I pictured as a kid, say like, back in 1990, the September of, and all my life was about to change with a car ride home from an Upstate farm, and it was for good this time in my Mother’s brand new Benz.
I wonder if this is what I thought I would look like at the age of 47. Did I ever think I would have a beard or talk about things like mental health politics or the diversity of inclusion?
I wonder what I thought I’d be doing at this age, or did I know I’d be doing anything? Did I ever think I’d be this old? No, seriously, did I?
I’ve spent a few of my years in different versions of purgatory. I’ve vacationed there too, —not in hell, but not in paradise either, not sure if I was on the right path or doing the wrong thing, going the wrong way down a one-way street.
I remember a car that came to pick me up once. (I ever tell you about this?)
I was running late for a flight. It was a good hour before the sun woke up, which means it was still dark out.
The car was late and getting later. The dispatcher called me and promised the driver was on his way. I lived in Queens at the time, in the Maspeth, Middle-Village section.
Finally the car came. The driver had a series of excuses, which I could tell were lies because I could smell that he was drinking. The better part of me thought, “This is not safe,” but the other part of me was racing to make a flight.
I lived on a one way street back then. The driver was driving the wrong way. I mentioned this to him. He told me, and this is the God’s honest truth, “Don’t worry. I’ll just shut off my headlights. This way no one will see me coming.”
There was logic in there somewhere. And at the time, this logic made sense to the driver. To me, well, the truth is I was holding on for dear life.
I just needed to make to the airport on time, which I did, by the skin of my teeth.
I think of it this way, everyone is playing a game. This is us, here on Project Earth. We are all looking to find our place on the field.
We want to find our position. We want to know where we fit, how to play, and who to play with. We want to know who plays with us best and who we can depend on.
Sometimes we play well and sometimes we miss the ball entirely. Sometimes we knock it out of the park, and other times, well, we just don’t have it in us to stand at bat and give it another swing.
One thing for sure is everyone will get their fair share of everything as they go around the sun. There is plenty for everyone. So be ready to get your hands dirty. Be ready to have a few grass stains on your knees and don’t be afraid to slide when you have to.
Everyone is looking to find where they fit.
I am too.
I’m no different because I’m just like you. I’m just another passenger the world’s largest conveyor belt—literally, and I’m trying to find where I fit. I’m trying to build my team. I want to know who plays fair and who cheats, who cheats others and who cheats themselves.
I want to know because i need to build my team.
I look around and I see the team we are given at birth. We call this our family; however, it has dawned on me that family is more than this.
It comes to a point that we have to reach an age when we are capable of making a decision.
We have to ask ourselves, who we want on our team because oftentimes, the family members we have are not always the family we want.
In order to advance in this competition, we have to come to an honest conclusion, which is why we come to an age that we learn how to decide what family is.
We have to understand what it means to love someone but yet, we don’t really like them very much, which is why we have to learn how to move on or get away.
As we turn another year around the sun, we learn that we are growing older. Our birth family might not always be the right match—to which I. or should I say, “We” have to encourage our rights to move on or away or to take advantage of our freedoms as soon as we possibly can. Otherwise, the ride we take around the sun will be less eventful, than say, the way it would be if we spent it with people that understood the value of reciprocal and mutual respect.
I’ll say it now and I’m sure I’ll say it again. This is one hell of a project, Project Earth. I’m learning more and more each day —even if it’s a bad day, it’s always a good day to learn something.
And oh, but I’m learning. And so are you.
Be safe out there today. It’ll be springtime soon. The warmer months will be upon us before you know it. This is our time to enjoy the warmth.
We have to remember this because it gets cold again pretty quickly. So take what you have and play with all your heart —because remember something; the cold times are a bitch without the good memories to warm your heart.
The Written Addiction 