Well, this is the last post for October. My daughter encouraged me, as some of you know, to join the NaBloWriMo group for the month of October. I was to post something every day. I gotta say that this has been fun, and I will continue to write on this blog because I like writing stuff, general stuff, not too mind boggling, but sometimes thought provoking. I tend to get preachy if I get on subjects like politics or government, so I pretty much steer clear of it. As the election here in America gets closer, though, I may just have to "speak up."
Today is Halloween. I like to have fun on this day. But, heck, no pumpkins are carved anymore since my children are all grown, and my grandchildren live in the middle of the state. It's not just a hop and a skip to Grammy's house. I didn't really even decorate for Halloween like bring out the ceramic pumpkin my husband made or his other ceramic creatures. I didn't hang any Halloween mobiles either since nobody is going to see them. We live in the country and don't have trick or treaters. We drove our children into town for Halloween fun. I may just do that anyway, next year. I miss pulling the guts out of a pumpkin and saying, "EWWWWW."
But...I did have fun today, anyway. I love to dress up on Halloween, to create a costume. Today I was Jenny from the movie "Forrest Gump." I pulled out my long blond wig I wore in the play "Dearly Beloved", brought out my last remaining hippie dress that I wore at a wedding in 1975, wore my earth shoes and put an ancient shawl around my shoulders. My big white dog, Carley barked at me. She actually didn't know who I was until I spoke. Many of my students didn't know me either.
Looking in the mirror at my get up, it took me back, back to another time and place. Back when I was young with long blond hair and a care free life. The gauzy tiered long dress made of a thin cottony crinkly type of material fit me pretty well. Oh, it was a little snug across my chest, but no place else. I didn't have the 3 inch platform sandals I used to wear with it. I loved those sandals even though I fell off them regularly. I weighed around 105 pounds back in 1975 and had not one smile or frown line. My skin was smooth and tanned. I was a young mother with a good looking husband, living on a farm with a house surrounded with pastures, rolling hills, and forests. It was a lovely life.
It has continued to be a lovely life with a few set backs, tragedies, and heartaches like life is. But I have had four beautiful successful children. In 1997 a wonderful son-in-law came into the family, and in 2003 a beautiful daughter-in-law joined the tribe. In 2002, I witnessed the birth of my first grandchild, a boy named Jeffrey. I didn't think I could ever feel so overwhelmed with love, but I was wrong. In 2007, I witnessed the birth of my second grandchild, a girl named River, and I thought my heart would burst with delight. With each birth of my own children, the joy was so great that I didn't think I could feel such utter bliss so many times. I was again, wrong. The human spirit has the capacity to love and continue to love in so many ways as I have learned throughout these many years.
I have a job that I really enjoy most times. I am writing now on a regular basis. I am acting in and directing plays. My husband is still with me and although I sometimes want to wring his neck, he truly has been the love of my life. I forget that on occasion.
I appreciate my daughter's encouragement for me to create and write this blog. I am thankful that as a smartass teenager, she started calling me "Little Mary Sunshine" because that is what I was...and still am.
That's okay with me.
So I will continue to write this blog with the hopes that others will enjoy my thoughts and musings. Although I'll probably not write every day like I have this past month, I'll write often.
And for those who have found me...thanks for your comments, suggestions, etc. I enjoy reading your blogs, too.
Today is Halloween. I like to have fun on this day. But, heck, no pumpkins are carved anymore since my children are all grown, and my grandchildren live in the middle of the state. It's not just a hop and a skip to Grammy's house. I didn't really even decorate for Halloween like bring out the ceramic pumpkin my husband made or his other ceramic creatures. I didn't hang any Halloween mobiles either since nobody is going to see them. We live in the country and don't have trick or treaters. We drove our children into town for Halloween fun. I may just do that anyway, next year. I miss pulling the guts out of a pumpkin and saying, "EWWWWW."
But...I did have fun today, anyway. I love to dress up on Halloween, to create a costume. Today I was Jenny from the movie "Forrest Gump." I pulled out my long blond wig I wore in the play "Dearly Beloved", brought out my last remaining hippie dress that I wore at a wedding in 1975, wore my earth shoes and put an ancient shawl around my shoulders. My big white dog, Carley barked at me. She actually didn't know who I was until I spoke. Many of my students didn't know me either.
Looking in the mirror at my get up, it took me back, back to another time and place. Back when I was young with long blond hair and a care free life. The gauzy tiered long dress made of a thin cottony crinkly type of material fit me pretty well. Oh, it was a little snug across my chest, but no place else. I didn't have the 3 inch platform sandals I used to wear with it. I loved those sandals even though I fell off them regularly. I weighed around 105 pounds back in 1975 and had not one smile or frown line. My skin was smooth and tanned. I was a young mother with a good looking husband, living on a farm with a house surrounded with pastures, rolling hills, and forests. It was a lovely life.
It has continued to be a lovely life with a few set backs, tragedies, and heartaches like life is. But I have had four beautiful successful children. In 1997 a wonderful son-in-law came into the family, and in 2003 a beautiful daughter-in-law joined the tribe. In 2002, I witnessed the birth of my first grandchild, a boy named Jeffrey. I didn't think I could ever feel so overwhelmed with love, but I was wrong. In 2007, I witnessed the birth of my second grandchild, a girl named River, and I thought my heart would burst with delight. With each birth of my own children, the joy was so great that I didn't think I could feel such utter bliss so many times. I was again, wrong. The human spirit has the capacity to love and continue to love in so many ways as I have learned throughout these many years.
I have a job that I really enjoy most times. I am writing now on a regular basis. I am acting in and directing plays. My husband is still with me and although I sometimes want to wring his neck, he truly has been the love of my life. I forget that on occasion.
I appreciate my daughter's encouragement for me to create and write this blog. I am thankful that as a smartass teenager, she started calling me "Little Mary Sunshine" because that is what I was...and still am.
That's okay with me.
So I will continue to write this blog with the hopes that others will enjoy my thoughts and musings. Although I'll probably not write every day like I have this past month, I'll write often.
And for those who have found me...thanks for your comments, suggestions, etc. I enjoy reading your blogs, too.
5 comments:
This was so well-written and really brought me back, Mom. Sigh. I'm getting emotional. I love you. Happy Halloween.
Nice to see that you can still get in the Halloween spirit even though you don't get the kids at the door.
Thanks, Dudley.
Sounds like you and your family had tons of fun on Halloween. Lovely memories. Congrats on finishing Nablo!
First of all, you got into a dress from 1975. I am greatly impressed. I don't think I could get one of my breasts into one of my old outfits. Of course, those breasts aren't exactly in the same place they used to be, they have moved south.
I carved pumpkins because I live in an area where many children knock on my door for Trick or Treat. They don't necessarily live in my neighborhood but rather on country roads where it is difficult to go out on Halloween. I live in a development of about 50 homes with sidewalks and it is so much safer for little goblins and princesses. I do enjoy seeing them. I also enjoy the left-over candy. Come to think of it, leftovers are one of the reasons I can't get into my old clothes.
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