Transitory.
I live in Montana: a vast, sparsely populated state, where often times the distance between places is not measured in linear measurement but in drive time, where the nearest neighboring cities are multiple hours away, and where the nearest “major” city of any note is a solid day’s drive away. Obviously, this means that one can spend a lot of time on the road. Indeed – I just completed a 700 mile road trip over less than 24 hours to repair some failing equipment.
I recently reached a milestone in my car – 270,000 miles on the odometer. When I acquired this car, it had much less. Realizing how many miles I’ve spent behind the wheel, it occurred to me how many thoughts I’ve had – ideas, insights, topics for discussion, minutes of sheer joy and moments of absolute terror – behind the wheel. But it also pains me to think of how many I’ve forgotten. When one is driving the car, it is not like you have time to stop the car and start writing — at least, not with modern society. You want to get from Billings to Missoula — more than halfway across the state — in an expeditious manner, so you can fix what’s broken, get sleep, and go home. You focus on the task at hand, and you don’t always realize what you’re missing, or what you’re losing. Instead of stopping for a cup of coffee and resting, you get your gas and get back on the road, for there are miles to go before you sleep.
I had the seeds and ideas for this post, along with a few others, during my drive back home today. I’ve tried to at least plant the seeds, even if I can’t make them grow yet. But I can’t help wondering how many other seeds I’ve dropped along the way that I may never recover. Hopefully I’ll find them in time, or their offspring, so I can plant them, and help them to grow.
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