Lost little Dorothy from Kansas and that yap yap dog she carried around is an image most of us remember. As she walked along that yellow brick road and ran across the scarecrow with no brain, the tin man with no heart and the lion with no courage, the four unlikely sorts banded together in search of someone - someone great who would solve all of their problems. This great mystical creature was suppose to be all knowing, but as with all tall tales, challenges emerged along the way to the promised land. The wicked witch, the helpful munchkins and others all played a role in the path to find "the one". Most, if not all of us, have seen the movie. As a child, I found it fascinating, as an adult, I find symbolism - perhaps you do as well. In the end though, the story ends with triumph, without any aid from the wizard - who is nothing more than a legend - and in reality is just a man pulling the strings - literally and figuratively - just so people will worship him. Symbolism? Yep. For what? Well, as in all symbolism the meaning is up to you. Could be many things - religion, marriage, career or a silly little carefree movie - it is not up to me to decide for anyone but me.....
Throughout my almost 50 years, I have travelled that yellow brick road in search of all of those traits and of course for a place like home. Often during that trek, I would stop on the oft chance that maybe, just maybe, everything I wanted and needed would be given. That is the trouble with yellow brick roads - they are merely a road on the journey and not a road to an end. Along this path, I grew a brain - with a little help from some talented professors, a couple of powerful bosses and a hell of a lot of independent study. My heart most of life was hard - but as I live and watch my girls it has softened some - and while I am a liberal - I am no bleeding heart - I merely believe everyone deserves the basics in life - without or without much effort on their part - does that give me "a" heart? Maybe. I suppose the courage has always been there - almost fearless to a fault - as a little boy and as a teenager - my courage was often a whole lot bigger than my size - I grew in to the courage and thankfully - my almost 6 feet frame and 192 pounds - combined with my courage fits firmly together.
I suppose that story will always resonate with me - it is a remarkable concept about life - we often want something that we don't have - and we simply think that someone or some power will solve all of our problems. For those who do not want much - those powers can and should exist without recourse - be those powers the government, charity or religion. For those that want a great deal more than mere traits of which they already possess - the only real answer is self - not selfish - but self action. I heard a quote recently - "I have no choice, but to believe in free will - for if I did not - I would have to believe in intense blame." I could not have said it better myself - although I will admit - that when Dorothy said "There is no place like home" - she may have said no truer words. Home, though, is not a place in Kansas or even a place in Springville, AL. Home is who we are each day - mere mortals without mystical powers - trying to be humane not just human - still developing our brain, warming our heart and building our courage along our own yellow brick road. Somewhere over the rainbow we think we will find it - I think we already have it all - right here - right now - @ a place in each of us - a place I call home...As I close today, I can hear Elton singing "Beyond the yellow brick road." Yep, WAY beyond.....Or so goes my thoughts from my almost 50 years.....
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