Cultureshock: Vacuum and Threads

Vacuum and Threads.

We are always being told that nature abhors a vacuum. So I think my efforts today are an attempt to link this statement with what I'm attempting to achieve without getting too far up the tree of knowledge and end up not being understood by anyone, not even myself. This situation did occur some years ago, not very enjoyable,though it taught a valuable lesson.

The image on the right was taken I believe shortly after I started my new life, with a new name and family. My best estimate is that I was about fifteen months or so of age. So about early 1937.

So what has this all to do with vacuums? Good question, I had begun to wonder myself. I believe the answer lies in the the fact that I was adopted. In a very real sense my adoption was to fill a vacuum left by the death of a boy of eighteen months, from bronchial pneumonia. I have often wondered what was changed by his death and taking his place in the scheme of things. Over the years I have felt an odd extra spur to be worthy of this change and not be merely grateful to my adopted family for the chance to fill any degree of sadness over their loss. An impossibility naturally, it always has to be a case of your own merits. Not a second chance to make comparisons with your loss.