A Beginning

This is the beginning.
Almost anything can happen.
~Billy Collins from "Aristotle"

I've been running alongside the bandwagon for a while now. I've seen some interesting things from the side of the road. I've enjoyed the shouts of those aboard and now I've decided it's time to hop on. What will come of this is anyone's guess. The next section of the poem mentioned above begins with: "This is the middle. / Things have had time to get complicated." Sometimes things get complicated sooner than others, but I hope this is a long ride.

Why start now? There are several reasons. I hope to use this as kindling of sorts to light my writing. I have been away from it far too long and perhaps the glint of the public spotlight will work my ego enough to keep at it. I hope to use this as a place to record the passing moments that all too often slip away. I figure this will be less of a personal record of my day to day activities and more a compendium of things I find interesting. My thoughts on culture, literature, politics, sports, religion, etc. will most likely grace these pages. I also hope to post poems I like with regularity, if for no other reason than to have something insightful to post, even if I am not the author.

What is the point of the title? Walker Percy is a writer I have long admired. His work in linguistics, philosophy, and his novels are all well worth the read. I like the idea of our existence finding meaning in the work of others. How many times have you been to a place and been unimpressed only to discover that an author you admire has written about it. Suddenly, it is not just a lonely, dusty side road, but a gleaming city. There has been a connection made between you and a stranger. You get the warm feeling of an inside joke. Somehow, it matters. This is the crux of art, in my opinion, the ability to touch someone else who has shared in a similar experience. Writing is a solitary activity, but its bounty is a rich connection. I hope all who stop here will be like the man on the train and hopefully find some sort of small connection with the greater world.