Wisdom Through The Ages

I remember this young man. Roaming the streets on NYC in the early 80's with very few cares in the world. Man he had no idea what he was getting into. Oh how ignorance is bliss!

This was taken in 1981 while I was attending the School of Visual Arts on 23rd St. It was more than likely one the first days of school. It is also the last time in life my face was clean shaven. I pretty much rocked a mustache from here on out, and the occasional beard/goatee.

The medal around my neck is a St. Raphael medal. (Patron saint of healing.) It was given to me by a very strange and yet very wise old man. He apparently thought I would need it. And he was right!

Curiously enough I am wearing a tee shirt that says Live for Life. And if I am not mistaken, a few months earlier I was planning on checking out for good! But I asked the Almighty for a sign. And he gave one in the form of that old man and the medal.

Much of my life after that has been a rather bizarre series of events, that I am still trying to figure out? It has seemed long and bumpy, and yet full of some interesting stories, and though I get a little worn down here and there, and very depressed I hang on.... more so because I am always curious to see how the story will end?

Sometimes I miss this young bull, wish I could lay some serious wisdom on him,.... and yet every once and a while I catch him staring back at me in the mirror smiling. He's smiling, because he knows a few things I have forgotten, like how to find the joy in life. That is one of the easiest things to forget as you get older.

I used to laugh at myself, and say " Don't stare too far into the past, or you might go blind!" But I have found that you need to take the occasional look back. Sometimes in order to know where you are going, you have to remember where you have been?