I went out for a drive this afternoon.  I needed to clear my head after a day of reading about the Synoptic Problem.  I enjoyed watching the sky change hues as the sun slipped beyond the horizon.  Later I caught a hint of wood smoke in the air.  That smell combined with the crispness of the air, conjured up old memories.  It reminded me of home.

Later on in the evening, I caught a show on public television where the hosts were touring through northern Spain.  This took me back to the summer I spent in Spain.  I thought back to my trip to Pamplona.  We walked through the old streets, tried the local cuisine, and enjoyed a local music festival.  I remember stepping out on the balcony early one morning and taking in the old city.  The residents were not up yet and so we had the streets to ourselves.  I also remember the conversations I had that summer.  Both with the students that I was studying with but also with the people we met along the way.

It’s strange how memories work.  Some will cause you to recall a particular event or time, while others just remind you of a state of mind.  Some will bring a smile to your face while others make you want to cry.  Regardless of their effect, our memories are the reminders of those things that have shaped our lives.  May they propel us forward in new adventures and not cower in fear of the unknown.