Marshall Ramsey

“You have to assemble your life yourself, action by action.” – Marcus Aurelius

I had a dream the other night that I was back in college. I was in the same dorm and even had the same freshman roommate. But this time around, I didn’t go down to The Daily Beacon (Student Newspaper) and didn’t draw cartoons — because I was lazy.

I literally am who I am because I had the courage to try out for the cartooning job (even after my advisor told me not to bother). Looking backwards, I realize how each step brought me to where I am today. And I think my dream was a reminder to stay busy. I did the work back then. I have to do it now. Urgency is the key — but there is also something else.

Seeing into the future is harder than looking back.

Obviously it is harder to look forward and see where you’re going. That requires planning. And as I am getting older, I don’t have the time to waste like I did when I was 20. I can’t bounce from rock to rock as my raft floats down the stream. I need to paddle with purpose. The last chapters of my life will require more outlining as I assemble them.

The Florida Panhandle has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Its white sand makes the water a beautiful, translucent green color. It’s a place that pops off of postcards. Last weekend, the weather was definitely not from central casting — it was cold, drizzly and gloomy. But a quirk in how I see things is that I can find beauty even in the middle of the gloom. Last Sunday, I went for a walk along the beach and saw the sun struggling to burn through the clouds. There were patches of the trademark green water. The sand was white but not quite as vibrant. But the sea oats and scrub had patches of brown and yellow that gave a warm glow.

Here’s my painting of what I saw: