Where is all the old stuff?

Erica and I recently returned from yet another cruising adventure. This time our travels took us across the pond to Spain, Italy and France. We had an amazing time and I can truly say I have never been so tired in all my life! Some vacations you go on for the relaxation and some you attempt as a challenge to your own endurance. This trip was the latter, and while there were days of rest, for the most part we tried to cram a month's worth of sight seeing into 11 days.

One day took us on a hike up Mt. Vesuvius and through the streets of Pompeii; the next day found us walking the pathways in Rome from one end to the other; yet another saw us spending the day enjoy an afternoon "Under the Tuscan Sun". Each experience was so memorable and I will thoroughly enjoy re-living the moments in the photos and memories we brought back with us.

A thought occurred to me, however, when we returned to the states. As I was digging through the stack of mail which had built up over my two week absence, I noticed a flier for my 10th year college reunion and homecoming being held in October. I flipped through the pages and saw the buildings that have been designed and erected in the 10 years since I have been on campus and marvelled over how different everything looked from my recollections of Evangel University. I noticed that the old World War II army barracks that had been the original buildings on campus when the school began had all been torn down - not one remains to mark the history of the institution. Now as a teacher of history and lover of all things ancient this makes me incredibly sad, but more than that I find it to be a reflection on American culture itself. Drive through any city or town in America and you will see things being torn down and new things replacing them. This fact begs the question - where is all the old stuff? As I walked through the streets of Rome and literally leaned against a wall that Julius Caesar had probably leaned against as well, I was struck by the awesome appreciation some cultures have for what has gone before. Perhaps it is the youth of America, or our driving desire to improve - both of which are positive attributes - but we just don't seem to value our past as much as we should.

Well those are my two cents. Have missed you all. Looking forward to what is to come.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Hello friends! I have been blog-less for over a year now. My life has become incredibly busy and I have found the "optional" things in life taking a backseat to the mandatory. I have, however, missed writing down the musings of my mind and commenting on the world we live in. Thus, I have resolved to attempt this blog thing once again. Bear with me if I am not as consistent as I should be. Please feel free to comment and question - that is what makes this journey fun.

April