Your past. Lifes best teacher

Here I sit, in my Family room, with my computer in my lap. I cast my gaze about the room, taking in all the stuff (I.E. junk) we have accumulated over the years, with all this stuff we have now, whats the future gonna' hold in store? and that get me thinking "What would Captain Buzz (an alias from my checkered past) say about the current condition of my life?" Let us take a little journey into Mike's imagination.

C.B. "Mike, Dude, is that really a GAS fireplace with CEMENT logs and a ELECTRONIC lighter?"
Mike "Well, yes. It's clean and green."
C.B. "Dudester. Thats NOT the kind of green I was lookin' for. Whats with that little pager on your hip (sniggers up his sleeve)"
Mike "That not a pager, its a cell phone"
C.B. "...sure it is. Everyone knows mobile phones come in a small suit case with a hand set attached to a cord. Honestly Dude, You be trippin' on a little purple barrel?"
Mike "I've been sober for nearly 17 years"
C.B. "... your scaring me here. What this about? It looks like a little foreign sports car. You once told me a four banger is half a car. What happened to the '69 Road Runner? Man, that old Road Turkey could burn up the road almost as fast as it burned that 67 cent gasoline"
Mike "Todays small cars can outperform yesterdays Muscle Cars without spending the thousands we spent on the Road Turkey making go faster. Also Captain Buzz, Gas recently hit over 4.00 per gallon"
C.B. "Stop it Man. Your words hurt my ears. So, why you got all these... (grimaces) knick knacks, everywhere? we used to laugh at old folks, you know, the ones over 40, who had this kinda' stuff. 'member?"
Mike "most have a fond memory attached to them. Besides, I'm married. She brings alot of this "stuff" into my life. and, more importantly, they make her happy."
C.B. "Whoa whoa whoa!!! DudeMan!! YOUR married? What a buzzkill! Total ruinage! Your missin' out Dudeage. Your really missin' out."
Mike looks around the room again. This time with a fresh eye. He sees so many years gone by filled with love, and memories. Struggles and triumphs. Hopes strived for, hopes fufilled and yes, hopes as of yet, unfullfilled. Nearly every item he sees has a personal story. Everywhere he looks he sees his Life, His children and grand children. And, unlike Captain Buzz, He sees his future. From here, it looks pretty bright.