Shake, Rattle and Roll

Any of you who were in the NYC area on September 11, 2001 will understand why I and several of my colleagues had a near panic attack yesterday.  Earthquake is not part of the language on the East Coast.  We know they exist, however, because we are not 111 years old, it did not at first occur to any of us that the shaking of the building was actually a quake.  A collapsing building we might have believed but an earthquake?  Can't be.  Until the official word came that yes, that is exactly what it was.  While it is possible but highly unlikely that we will ever experience the feeling again here, in retrospect I am thankful in a wierd sort of way that I did get to know the feeling.  This is not to say I ever WANT to know the feeling again but just that it sort of gave me a perspective on what to expect.  We learned a lot too.  We did commit the one major crime it seems of taking to the streets when we should have found a nice cozy spot under our desks.  Hard to do if you are in a panic mode - which is the second major mistake to make.  I realize that folks on the West Coast are putting out a bunch of mock criticisms of us Easterners but honestly I don't know how they cope with the constant threat of these disasters.  I guess this is yet another example of that old saying that you would always choose your own problems over those of others.  It could be because mistakes and heartaches always teach or it could be that...........IJTWLI

Yakity, yak..............

I had a wonderful weekend.  My sister and I went with my three cousins for the weekend to the Jersey shore.  Michele has a house there and invited us for a cousins weekend to just sit and catch up with family business.  We spent hours recalling our childhood antics and it was very interesting to me to watch as others suddenly stopped talking to take a few minutes to remember and perhaps analyze what each moment meant in our development to adulthood.  We couldn't help but compare what our image during childhood did to our actual adult circumstances.  What I found particularly rewarding was realizing that blood really is thicker than water.  All the years that had passed had done nothing to chip away at our bond.  None of us share friends but all of us share our family memories.  We vowed never to let too much time get between us again.  There is still so much to learn about each other.  Do all families eventually do the same thing?  Is this what you do when you realize how fast time is going by?  Is this a way of recapturing your childhood?  I think most people feel the need to reconnect because..........IJTWLI

PS:  Thanks ladies for being you and loving me.  Love you too !!

Memories

Lately, I have been able to make some connections with old (timewise not agewise) acquaintences both friends and relatives.  It has really been wonderful.  I never sat and really concentrated on how many years have passed since the last time I spoke with these friends. Once I realized that some were from forty (that's 4-0) years ago it made me sit up and totally get the point that this is not practice.  Not to sound too gruesome but we are all going to pass someday and so you better take heed and LIVE life and not just sit and watch it go by.  If for no other reason, it is both comforting and unsettling to sit and listen to someone tell you of their life experiences over many years.  You realize that people you had pegged to grow up/end up one way might be the complete opposite of your vision.  Others you hear of the heartache they have endured when you had absolutely no idea of their plight.  I wonder what, if anything, they think of my experiences.  Do they see what I have been proud of in my life as trivial and meaningless, or, are they amazed at the information?  Would we have chosen each other as friends if we had met in our later years?  Will I continue to advance the friendship?  One thing I have known about myself for probably all my life is that if I am your friend it is "golden".  I tend to invest a lot of time and effort in keeping a relationship thriving and also expect that to come back to me.  Just last week I received the news that my godmother, Aunt Terry, the only surviving sister of my mom's nine sisters, had a major stroke at the age of 82.  The prognosis is not good, however, doctors won't place a time on her outlook.  I, for one, am glad they won't do that because I don't believe it is their prediction that counts.  Her time will come when it comes.  IJTWLI

Purging.......

So, I have finally done it.  Cleansed my closets of items that no longer fit or have not been worn in the last year.  I have always heard this is the best step to getting rid of stuff but never let myself completely conform to the method.  You see, I am the type of buyer who would spend a few extra bucks on buying a better quality, classic type piece and have it last a longer time (like forever) rather than buy a trendy, less expensive, less quality piece that gets thrown away after a couple of wears.  I know the younger generation would probably not be able to even conceive of this idea let alone actually put it to use.  It seems things now a days are in a word - disposable.  No matter what you are talking about, clothes, pictures, cards, cars, appliances, etc., very little of it is made for the duration.  Drives me NUTS !!  I am the type who still loves to drink milk out of glass bottles.  Ahh, the fifties......... made for a great, memorable childhood.  Anyway, back to my closets.  So, in making my three piles of disposals (yikes, that word again) - one for Good Will, one for trash and one for a "needy" office worker that is the size I used to be - I started to feel myself once again second guessing my need to get rid of the stuff.  Sentences, such as, "this served me so well over the past ten years why not just keep it for another ten?" and the old familiar, "give yourself six more months to loose the weight and you'll have all this extra stuff to wear" and even, "this outfit holds so many memories from your KIDS' childhoods that you should maybe put it up in the attic (along with clothes of theirs)".  From somewhere, an inner voice yelled out loud and clear, "STOP, put down what you are holding and go do something else.  Clean something around the house, walk the dog or cook dinner but get away from the nostalgia!!"  Whoever that voice was, I say to you, "Thank You".  Luckily, I came back to the task some time later to find that I just wanted to get the job done and make some much needed room in my closets.  I think this process does so much more than just simply making space for more stuff.  For me anyway, it helped make space in my head and in my life.  I hadn't realized that holding onto "stuff" that only sits and stares back at you when you look at it really clogs up my thinking.  It adds yet another layer of unneccessary concern that I don't want or need.  It just feels good.  It gives your mind that needed space, too, to think of more useful thoughts about what really matters in life - family, friendship, morals and values.  A good steadying of the Moral Compass !  I did promise myself that "from now on" I will not let stuff pile up to the point of blurring what is most important but I am also truthful with myself enough to know that it probably will.  Maybe, this is just something we all need to do once in awhile, or, maybe..........IJTWLI

Time or Lack Thereof.....

Isn't is a maddening thing when you finally decide to do something because you feel you have the time and then sure enough, as soon as you begin, you don't know where that little bit of time went.  Probably, to the same place where all those other specs of time have gone over the years.  Take this blog, for instance.  I love to write and look forward to any comments or response I might get to it and so I began with great joy the journey of entering cyberspace to talk away.  Suddenly, there were extra chores at home, extra time needed at work, shopping to do for an elderly father, playtimes with grandbabies (not complaining because this is one of my favorite pasttimes), and on and on.  But today I realized that it is me, moi, who is the common denominator in all of these issues and that I have control over each of them.  So, I have taken back control hence, my post today.  This beautiful time of year really changes moods and trains of thought.  The added daylight really turns us into different characters and somehow makes things that were so overwhelming during those short, dreary winter days turn into adventures that we can't wait to engage in.  So what if it will take to midnight, so what if dinner doesn't happen until 9 pm, so what if I woke up at 6 am and only went to sleep at 3.  Do you feel the same way about this phenomenon?  Is it a phenomenon.....or IJTWLI ??

One Less on the Bucket List

Had a wonderful time up at Niagara Falls the past few days.  It was a long drive but it's true that as you get older the miles pass quickly and you don't seem to mind as much.  Really had a nice amount of time to just walk for miles and explore everything in that area.  Aside from the wind being 83 mph one day, the weather cooperated and made for a fun time.  So, now that this is done, it's on to the next on "the List".  Do you have a Bucket List?  I think it is a great idea for everyone.  Gets you focusing on doing rather than dreaming.  Don't get me wrong, dreaming is great but it doesn't beat the doing.  It makes you realize that you won't be here forever and this life is not going to come your way again.  So get out and LIVE everybody and don't be a spectator in your own life.  Why do you suppose it takes many of us so many years to realize this?  Besides the younger years also being the most jammed packed years of your life, I think maybe.......IJTWLI.

Happy Birthday, Happy Life !!

This weekend, we celebrated the first birthday of our two youngest grandsons, Patrick and Thomas. While every birthday is special and every one of the grands are treasured gifts I mention these two because well, it is their birthday and the fact that a year has passed since the harrowing night they were born. These little ones were due to arrive at the end of May, however they decided they wanted out on April 16th. Initially, in the first ten minutes, all seemed fine but soon after it appeared that Patrick's arm had a serious problem with circulation. I don't care to go into all the stressful memories right here but suffice it to say the little "spitfire" battled through and today, with his big brother Thomas, he is thriving and moving past all of that.  I am such a blessed woman.  To have God in my life and to reap His blessings in the form of family, work, play, and most importantly His presence, I have truly come to realize what is important in life and what needs to take a back seat.  Of course, being a 50 something has a lot to do with this realization.  When something goes amiss with someone important to you, you feel the urgency to help make things right, when something goes wrong with the car, or the kitchen floor, you are able to put insignificant things into perspective and realize that......IJTWLI