On My Mind...

I began this post a few months ago and just tied up a few loose ends. I'm glad to finally publish this one. I hope that this gives a little more insight to the "mission" of this crazy entity that I've concocted in my head and my reasons for doing so. The subjects and locations may not be Georgian but the commentary always will be. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

A few thoughts this weekend.

Talking with a friend the other night about this blog (and its accompanying social media outlets) and the comment was made about how much Georgia had been on my heart the last few years. And it has.

A few days later my wife and I were discussing our upcoming 15th wedding anniversary. When she asked "what do people do for their 15th anniversary?" I replied, "a lot of them don't have 15th anniversaries". Not that 15 years is an unreachable milestone or anything. While crystal is nice, it's not exactly gold. But I was just making the point that a lot of folks, for many reasons, don't stay married that long.

These two things are related.

Let me start this commentary with this footnote. There are many reasons people either relocate or divorce. Many of them are quite legitimate and this is not a condemnation of any sort. This is what I have learned from thinking about the connection between these two ideas.

Now, Georgia loves me. It just does. When I stand on the bridge at Amicalola Falls and feel the mist on my skin, I know this. When I stand on the shell midden at Wormsloe and watch the morning sun illuminating the marsh, I know this. When I walk into the Varsity, hear "What'll ya have" and reply "double chili burger, fries and a large F.O.", the results let me know Georgia loves me.

I could keep going but this is the real secret to the Georgia love. A few years ago I was on my way into town. The route I was using that day includes an incredible view of the town and the valley it sits in as well as the mountains that serve as the opposite end of that valley. My thought at that moment was of a quote that, like our famous song, was penned by a Hoosier. The thought was:

"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is." - Kurt Vonnegut 

Because the view was amazing. 

So then I started looking for more. I looked for natural beauty and found it. I looked for architecttural beauty and found it. I looked for historical and cultural significance and found it. I looked for greatness. And there it was. Appreciating my home made me love it more.

We have a tendency to find what we look for.

It happens in relationships as well. If you look for bad you tend to find it. If you look for good, it's there too.

Again, I say usually. There are exceptions to every rule.

But here is the gist of my goal with All the Biscuits in Georgia. Whether its on Instagram, Twitter or here at the blog, it's about opening my eyes and seeing the beauty that is there in front of me. It's about putting the pieces that are available into something that is intended but that needs a little assembly and it is about everything that has been, remains, or that could live once again. It's about the old quote about the good in this world being worth fighting for and doing just that. It's about hoping that you will take the chance to do the same