The Unfinished Journey/ Wally Bornmann/ July 11, 2026
I find myself wondering about how I see things.
How do I see the world around me, the people in it, and most often how do I see myself fitting into all of it?
I admit that for a variety of reasons for most of my life I’ve never seen myself fitting in all well. These days I know I don’t.
It may be that age does that to a person, I’ve never been this old before so I don’t have much insight into such things.
What’s got me more than a little bothered is that I’m sure I don’t want to spend much time these days worrying about whether or not I fit in.
That may be a part of getting older also for all I know.
I still recall how in my early teenage years I was pretty damn sure I know how things worked and how I could fix everything if I got a chance.
By the time I was heading into my twenties I had to accept there was something to that saying about when you’re young the old fart doesn’t know much but when you get a bit older yourself you’re surprised how much the old guy has learned in such a short time.
As best I recall back in those teen days of mine it was generally assumed that anyone over thirty was well beyond helping when it came to much of anything.
My generation was many things and full of itself was certainly one of them.
These days I’m pleased to say I’m still doing my best to learn enough so I can say I’m as smart as the smartass I once was.
The smartass kid I was thought I had everything figured out and could see clearly from here to infinity and beyond. The old fart I’ve become knows I have nothing truly figured out and need glasses to see beyond my nose.
* * *
I remember once hearing that some problems that show up in folks come from things that happened to them, usually traumatic things.
I don’t have a clue whether that’s the case or not but I’ve never dismissed the possibility.
When I was in third grade a friend of mine died. I knew she was sick, but I was certain the operation she was going to get was going to make her better.
I’m pretty sure I prayed to God on that one. After that I don’t remember praying all that much.
It was after that when my vision started getting fuzzy.
I’ve worn glasses ever since and sometimes wonder if that was my body’s response. I was saying I don’t want to see this sort of thing ever again and so my eyes decided they’d help me out. It wasn’t anything drastic mind you, but I was only in third grade so maybe my body said a little is enough.
Sounds weird to most folks, I get it, can’t say I buy it myself. And yet, I wonder about such things every now and then.
It’s like how I look out beyond my front door — seems something happened that makes everyone see things just a bit fuzzy.
I can see it now — a national “Day with Your Optometrist” with pay.
The thing is I’m not that smartass teenager anymore and I know an eye prescription for everyone would help — but folks will still see what they see. They might think they’re seeing more clearly which would make the whole situation even worse.
The thing is I’ve been around just about long enough to accept that what I think I’m seeing clearly, what I think others should be seeing clearly, is never how it really is. There’s always more to every story and there’s always more to see if I just take the time to look closer.
* * *
I’ve been wearing glasses goin’ on seventy years. Not about to start saying I’ve ever seen things clearly over all those years. Not about to claim I’m seeing things clearly today.
One thing I will say is I sure don’t care much for what I’m seeing.
I long ago said I see storm clouds comin’ and these days I don’t need anything more than my eyes to see they’re getting closer.
Folks are allowing things in this country to get more messed up because everyone wants to insist there’s a simple solution to every problem we’ve got.
Seems to me that that thinking keeps making things more complicated by the day.
Hell, things are so damn simple to fix I’m sure there’s someone to talk to about cleaning up a green reflection pool.
The thing is as I see them, is it’s been this thing where today what folks say they want swings one way and then tomorrow they want things some other way.
From what I’ve seen and what I think I’m seeing things have swung more than a little one way and I’m not sure they’re done swinging. But sooner or later things are going to start swinging back the other way and there’s going to come a time when no one wants to let things swing anymore.
So, I see storm clouds and I’m saying I don’t need my prescription checked.
There’s a thing or two that sadden me about what I think I’m seeing.
Most of all I’m sorry that my kids and grandkids are going to have to straighten out the mess that’s been made. None of it was their making but they’re sure enough going to have to suffer through whatever’s coming.
Then there’s all the good folks out there that have tried the best they could. This country’s filled with amazing folks who given the chance will see to it that things get better. There are those that will do anything they can to hold those good folks down.
I find myself asking if good can do the things that may be needed to rise above the bad.
Honestly, I don’t have the answer, but I want to think they can.
Then, for reasons I can’t clearly explain, I think about the fact that I’ve lived through the two hundredth and the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of this nation — will there be a three hundredth?
* * *
I remember praying when I was young. Marla died and I got glasses. I haven’t been much of a prayer since then.
The thing about all of this is that with or without my glasses I see storm clouds.
God, I pray I’m wrong.
Until next time keep your Unfinished Journey unforgettable.
Happy trails.
The Unfinished Journey 
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