Man in Black, Black thoughts ...

The wife and I saw "Walk the Line" tonight. Based on two books: a biography of Johnny Cash's life and his own autobiography, the film was a pretty straight-forward look at the life of the Man in Black. Good performances and good tunes. Cash is one of my heroes. A man who did so much with what he was armed with at birth: a great voice and nearly unlimited talent. However, the movie got me thinking more about what we leave behind once we're dead and gone. I'm not trying to get too down and depressed, but my thoughts quickly turn to what I'll leave behind. At the moment, it doesn't seem like much more than debt and a hole in my family. Of course, many of us have stories that make our lives interesting (those who know me, know I have numerous stories - not all interesting), but very few of us have too much that will linger very long after we expire. So, what is it that makes us get up in the morning and continue on? Work is work. For some of us that is our life. For others it's home, the ones we love and the life we build around that. But what will we be remember for? What makes us who we are? What makes us leave any type of mark? Who's recording that in any shape or form? I think quickly to those who's lives were cut short and who are remembered fondly: James Dean, John Lennon, John Kennedy O'Toole. There are too many to name. But what do we do on a daily basis that makes us not just who we are, but would leave any type of impression on those around us? I think there is little. I try to take life one day at a time and move forward. But apathy and laziness seem to push me to do little more than just go through the motions (and occasionally leave really bad posts on this site). I get up, go to work, come home, sit and wait for life to happen to me. I guess watching movies like "Line" you get the feeling that you can't just expect life to happen, you have to almost happen to life. Push harder, take what you can and give back more than you get. Sounds like the beginnings of a really bad Hallmark card. But it's true. Nothing comes to those with little talent if they aren't willing to take the occasional step in the direction of a life less ordinary and engage in a life more interesting. It's in the book somewhere I know it. And maybe some day I'll walk the line a little less and push myself outside my comfort level and into something just interesting enough to MAKE good story instead of just telling one.