Does Everytime Face A Vesuvius?

><- Click here
Is there a Vesuvius always waiting just down the lane? Is there a force so potentially dreadful which some gentle Summer day might erupt over all or any of us? Does it wait over there looking mellow yet very very large?

On that August 29th in 79 AD this view was abruptly different. That mound at the end of the lane burst upon every plan, dream, and aspiration in Pompeii. It causes us to wonder whether there’s a force so potentially dreadful that some peaceful day can erupt all over any of us? Does it wait somewhere overlooked until it stops time? Should we concern ourselves with what we cannot possibly control?

And even if a personal Vesuvius lurks somewhere, does that lessen our responsibility to control what we can? To create, prosper, share, and succeed even in the shadow of inevitable things?

You wonder about that as you look down this ancient street at a primal force so massive, yet so wickedly calm.

GEEK STUFF: Canon EOS 20D, 10/03/07:4:38pm: Lens 17-85mm, Focal Length: 56mm, Exp 1/12@f/7.1, ISO 200, Metering Mode: Pattern, Expoure bias -1, Camera RAW

---

NOTE: You will often find in-depth descriptions of this Italian visit among the comments-section below both as I add onto them and as you prompt my memory. I'll try to restrict my thoughts exclusively to today's image here on the home page and enlarge upon them in the comments attachments to a day’s posting as the discussions unravel. Those comments begin here. To follow the thread chronologically start at October 7th.