http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/heatherijames/30676 Every now and then I start to wonder about life.&nbsp; Not so much about mine, not so much about yours, but about life as it is general.&nbsp; I was driving home around half past noon.&nbsp; The same way, the same way always.&nbsp; But, at high noon, in the middle of summer, some things look crisper, some things look duller. An old house, small on a big lot of full of dry grass, looked crisper.&nbsp; It is quite old.&nbsp; Its lack of size dates it to a time when big things did not matter; the chipped white paint and a shutter hanging by only a single brace also dates it to time&rsquo;s past. As if the perfectly centered sun in the sky illuminated only the house itself, I took a good long look at it.&nbsp; There were four vehicles lining the dirt driveway.&nbsp; All, too, were from a different time than the one I find myself in the throws of.&nbsp; One word came to me, one word for the house, the land, and the vehicles.&nbsp; Neglect.&nbsp; Judging by the design of the vehicles, such material treasures would have been popular in the late seventies, early eighties at the latest.&nbsp; Coupled with the house, the era made sense.&nbsp; Only after this time did size start to matter so much.&nbsp; Only after this time was it inconceivable to not have separate rooms for each child and their toys.&nbsp; What was the property like, then, in the late seventies?&nbsp; Full of energy, vibrancy, meaning?&nbsp; And if so, what had happened in the interim?&nbsp; Some could say life happened.&nbsp; Some could say it was simply time.&nbsp; I, myself, did not stop to ponder as much.&nbsp; As with a great many things in this world, I inevitably come to the point where I ask, &ldquo;Will this happen to me?&rdquo; Will my home succumb to just passing one day to another for the next thirty years?&nbsp; Will such be a reflection of my life and attitudes?&nbsp; Another word came to me.&nbsp; Complacency.&nbsp; It usually predicates neglect, does it not?&nbsp; And a step further in that direction is pride.&nbsp;&nbsp; My imagination, overactive to be sure, started to put together a story behind the little old house and the vehicles so untouched their windows were caked with dry dust from year after year of fall breezes.&nbsp; A family.&nbsp; Father works hard, mother raises children.&nbsp; Most did in those times.&nbsp; There was always enough money.&nbsp; Enough for the cars, enough for the food, enough for the heat in the dead of winter, and a little extra for a brand new pair of roller skates at Christmas.&nbsp; But faith was misplaced.&nbsp; It was put in the now, the have to haves, and of course, their youth.&nbsp; And yes, life happened.&nbsp; Time happened.&nbsp; Pride, then complacency, then neglect.&nbsp; And finally, the warning.&nbsp; Best transcribed by Solomon for his closing remarks in Ecclesiastes: &ldquo;Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, &nbsp;&nbsp;Before the difficult days come, &nbsp; And the years draw near when you say, &nbsp; I have no pleasure in them&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;* * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, &nbsp;&nbsp;And the spirit will return to God who gave it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Vanity of vanities,&rdquo; says the Preacher, &nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;All is vanity.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * * * &ldquo;Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: &nbsp;Fear God and keep His commandments, &nbsp;For this is man&rsquo;s all. &nbsp;For God will bring every work into judgment, &nbsp;Including every secret thing, &nbsp;Whether good or evil.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7-8, 13-14 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Every now and then I start to wonder about life.&nbsp; Not so much about mine, not so much about yours, but about life as it is general.&nbsp; I was driving home around half past noon.&nbsp; The same way, the same way always.&nbsp; But, at high noon, in the middle of summer, some things look crisper, some things look duller. An old house, small on a big lot of full of dry grass, looked crisper.&nbsp; It is quite old.&nbsp; Its lack of size dates it to a time when big things did not matter; the chipped white paint and a shutter hanging by only a single brace also dates it to time&rsquo;s past. As if the perfectly centered sun in the sky illuminated only the house itself, I took a good long look at it.&nbsp; There were four vehicles lining the dirt driveway.&nbsp; All, too, were from a different time than the one I find myself in the throws of.&nbsp; One word came to me, one word for the house, the land, and the vehicles.&nbsp; Neglect.&nbsp; Judging by the design of the vehicles, such material treasures would have been popular in the late seventies, early eighties at the latest.&nbsp; Coupled with the house, the era made sense.&nbsp; Only after this time did size start to matter so much.&nbsp; Only after this time was it inconceivable to not have separate rooms for each child and their toys.&nbsp; What was the property like, then, in the late seventies?&nbsp; Full of energy, vibrancy, meaning?&nbsp; And if so, what had happened in the interim?&nbsp; Some could say life happened.&nbsp; Some could say it was simply time.&nbsp; I, myself, did not stop to ponder as much.&nbsp; As with a great many things in this world, I inevitably come to the point where I ask, &ldquo;Will this happen to me?&rdquo; Will my home succumb to just passing one day to another for the next thirty years?&nbsp; Will such be a reflection of my life and attitudes?&nbsp; Another word came to me.&nbsp; Complacency.&nbsp; It usually predicates neglect, does it not?&nbsp; And a step further in that direction is pride.&nbsp;&nbsp; My imagination, overactive to be sure, started to put together a story behind the little old house and the vehicles so untouched their windows were caked with dry dust from year after year of fall breezes.&nbsp; A family.&nbsp; Father works hard, mother raises children.&nbsp; Most did in those times.&nbsp; There was always enough money.&nbsp; Enough for the cars, enough for the food, enough for the heat in the dead of winter, and a little extra for a brand new pair of roller skates at Christmas.&nbsp; But faith was misplaced.&nbsp; It was put in the now, the have to haves, and of course, their youth.&nbsp; And yes, life happened.&nbsp; Time happened.&nbsp; Pride, then complacency, then neglect.&nbsp; And finally, the warning.&nbsp; Best transcribed by Solomon for his closing remarks in Ecclesiastes: &ldquo;Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, &nbsp;&nbsp;Before the difficult days come, &nbsp; And the years draw near when you say, &nbsp; I have no pleasure in them&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;* * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, &nbsp;&nbsp;And the spirit will return to God who gave it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Vanity of vanities,&rdquo; says the Preacher, &nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;All is vanity.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; * * * &ldquo;Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: &nbsp;Fear God and keep His commandments, &nbsp;For this is man&rsquo;s all. &nbsp;For God will bring every work into judgment, &nbsp;Including every secret thing, &nbsp;Whether good or evil.&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7-8, 13-14 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; en-us Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:34:10 PDT <p>Good morning, Heather! What a great way to start my day: coffee &amp; your writing!&nbsp; I am spoiled -- thank you so much!&nbsp; Awesome.</p> http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/heatherijames/30676/#c_280096 http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/heatherijames/30676/#c_280096 <p>Good morning, Heather! What a great way to start my day: coffee &amp; your writing!&nbsp; I am spoiled -- thank you so much!&nbsp; Awesome.</p>