Cleaning Up the Residue

If you've ever done estate planning, which includes making a will and taking care of other matters, you may recall having seen the word "residue" in your document. The dictionary defines it this way: "a small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone or been taken or used."

When think about residue the image that comes to mind is the slime that a snail leaves after it glides across your porch. 

Lately I have been thinking a lot about all this "residue" I've collected over the years. What's the difference between residue and clutter? I'm not really sure, but I do know I have a lot of things to unload at some point, or it will be a problem for someone else. Any suggestions?

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I saw this quote in an article I read this week and liked it.

“Falsehood can buy many supporters, but truth has only a few friends.”--Imam Hussain

I can't even recall the context right now, but it reminded me of the statement by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, "Straight is the gate and narrow the way which leads unto life, and few there are that find it." 

Another quote that caught my eye yesterday was this one from a small volume by Nietzsche: "The point I can no longer avoid actually asking is this one question: how do we become who we we are?

I have often asked that same question in various ways.

Are we who are we are by the choices we've made? How much of who we are is genetic? And how much of who we become is determined by how we've been raised? That is, how much is nature and how much is nurture? 

Actually, I've always felt both variables were at play. Using a photography metaphor, a poor quality negative can be improved in the editing booth, and an excellent negative can be printed poorly. 

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Well, my mind is starting to drift, so I'd best leave off here 
before you lose interest, too. The images on this page are from some of the residue 
I was sorting last night in my garage. Let's go outside and enjoy this beautiful day.