depotguy's blog post - Turning another page.....

Today was my last day at work.

This is the song to play in your head while reading this blog.

Riding on the city of new orleans
Illinois central monday morning rail

I am a lucky man. I have come to a place in my life where I accept the changes that life hands me, good or bad. I stop....breathe....and say "what lesson should I be learning now?" Then the hard part...I have to shut up long enough to hear the small quiet voice of truth that gets blocked out by all the noise of life.

fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
three conductors and twenty five bags of mail

So i don't have a sure picture of what lies ahead. The curve of the earth is strong. I have faith that a good thing is just over the horizon. Or perhaps not a good thing.....maybe an important thing. Maybe another lesson. In all of this, I am fine.

all along the south bound odyssey
the train pulls out of kankakee
rolls along past houses, farms and fields

A great teacher said "how do you know this is the experience you need? Because it is the experience you are having now. Now, yes, right now, is all we have. Yesterday is gone. I can do NOTHING to change that. The future? Regardless of how we try, we really cannot control it. Now is all I can live for.

passin trains that have no names
freight yards full of old black men
and the graveyards of the rusted automobiles

I had an experience when I was 5 that shaped my every thought. My kindergarden class was chosen to ride the last passenger train that traveled through central wisconsin. I can remember every detail. This was 1967. By a cosmic coincidence I ended up sharing a seat with the conductor. He seemed ancient to me. It was his last trip. He told me that when he got off this train he didn't think he would ever ride a train again. He made me look him in the eye and he said "and thats O.K." He told me that life was a series of adventures and he was off to have a new one. He was teary eyed as he told me and I'm a little teary eyed remembering it. I remember the end of that week they burned the beautiful depot down for fireman practice.


Good morning America, How are you?
Don't you know me? I'm your native son
I'm the train they call the city of New Orleans
I'll be gone 500 mile for the day is done

Turning the page........next?