ashes to dust

Not related to this blog, in order to get paid, I have a desk job. During my workday, I often sit poised at my keyboard long enough for a thin film of dust to form on the top of my hands. When i notice it, i go to the restroom and wash it down the drain. I like to stay fresh.

zero

My grandpa has passed, but periodically i remember with passive fondness, some of his delightful banter. He once said, "jimmy, count to 7,000 for me." And i started, "one,"
"WRONG!" He immediately interjected. And then he explained that no proper system of counting could begin without an acknowledgement of zero. There cannot be a complete understanding of one without zero. And he finished that sentence by cuffing me in the back of the head, and settling back into his recliner. The next visit, or next randomly divined visit...grandpa waited until i was within striking distance and here it came..."jimmy, count to 7001 for me."
"Okay, grandpa." I took a deep breath..."zero"
"WRONG!" and the cuff behind the head came before the explanation. "Zero is nothing, the absence of value, why would it matter? I asked you to count, not to take all known variables into consideration and then enlighten me with your useless infantile philosophy." Brief pause. "go tell your mother you disgust me, and after that, let's speak no more of this."
I agreed, without any level of sentience.
I think he was teaching me something. But, I just wished he was dead. I got my wish. One.

i hate analogy, here's an analogy

The sun is our engine. It burns. We live. It drives all we know. It gives the essential initial energy to all we need. And yet is not our god. A car has an engine. The engine provides energy to go, and powers all essential and auxiliary systems, and yet, it did not design itself. It had a designer. I built a fire tonight. I saw it consume and felt it exude. I knew its energy was from the origin as that of our sun. Burn. We all who share this reality, burn.