Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Life...

My awesome and blissfully sassy friend, Kelly, gave us a warning: September is coming in with a BANG! Umm, ya think? You were dead on, sister. Call it a aligning of planets, blue moons and red moons rising, zodiac signs going postal, September has brought quite the cocktail of events, mixed in with emotions that only time, patience and prayer can help us make sense off.

In one side of the world loved ones are closing chapters in their lives in order to open new ones. Or in their case, boxes. I hear about moving plans, reminiscing of times long gone, but never forgotten, while binging on "fall cleaning" when we praise the heavens for the gods of Glad. I have done my share of moving from town to town, out of the country, back into the country, across state lines, and back again... Been there, done that. So done with it... However, I know how it feels to throw away little memories once believed to be the most cherished, the receipt from the concert tickets, the program from the play, the movie stub. Then you find the cards. Oh the cards from that special someone  who took the time to pick one from the pretty, glittery, bright Hallmark section- not the .99c one- and wrote words of love, or sympathy, or encouragement, or just hello.
Moving provides a venue to pitch and cleanse, to close and open, to plan and re-direct, re-invent, re-connect, re-new, all mixed in with tears of loss and joy, at the same time. 

Another corner celebrates the beginning of an academic year, an adventure in adulthood that quickly challenges the teenager inside still needing mom to hug ever so tightly in the mornings. Ah, college. We long for independence, yet can't figure out how to do laundry. Mom/dad on speed-dial. And yes for some, a free ride on a roller-coaster of emotions doomed to derail unless perspective is kept in check. One day at a time, I have learned to say, and will continue to convey that message to students near and far, while the planner in me needs to carve out the next ten years of my life by 3:00 p.m. today. ;) Patience, prayer and reflection on what has been, what is and what needs to be.

Careers change and decisions to switch jobs come in like a bang for some.  Why? Well, because it's time. We are meant to evolve, to soak up knowledge that can (hopefully) fine tune our skills, whatever those may be. Why not use those skills, gifts if I dare proclaim, to make a difference, impact the community, better yourself and feel fulfilled that you, the precious YOU, has a purpose and a responsibility to be present in this world. And, to be happy, loving what you do, doing what you love.

Everyone is different, there are NO two identically equal human beings in this world. Some of us get along beautifully, some of us, not so much.  That's OK. It is imperative that we honor who we are as individuals. We can engage in conversations of this and that, argue for the sake of arguing and agree to disagree. BUT, and that's a very BIG BUT (hehehe), we must never disrespect one another. Even if we don't see eye to eye, there's a line that must never be crossed. Sad are the days when we find ourselves flirting with that same line and then... BANG! It happens, we crossed it. We said something we should not have said, did something we know in our hearts we shouldn't, not because we didn't want to do it, but because it disrespected the other. DISCLAIMER ... and spoken from experience: if you are the one crossing the line and are truly sorry, JUST SAY SO and mean it! I have owned my mistakes and have learned, boy, have I learned from them.

Family members and friends reunite after years of not seeing each other. What a gift, a privilege and a blessing. This is certainly a ride I can share and be part of in any amusement park. The stories, the memories of casual days at strict uniform-clad high school, first love and heartbreaks, bad (oh so bad!!) hair days and how some of us at 40 never looked (and felt) better!!  Thank you anti-wrinkle cream, I love you so. The tears shared, the unconditional love and support felt by these friends, who are truly the family we choose. This is what people mean, when the best things in life are free. Indeed they are: love, support, peace, faith, joy, respect.

Seriously, September... it feels like March 'cause you have come in like a lion. Please, I beg you, leave like a lamb. Some of us are exhausted and need a break. Help us save some of the energy to deal with unforeseen life events and curves balls quickly approaching for a later time. Let us spread the love of drama for times when there is not a whole lot happening.

Ok, it's September 22. Only a few more days to go. Can we make it??? I think we can. We stumble, we fall, but we get up and we move on...


2 comments:

  1. Love it, right on the money. Onwatd is the only place we want to go.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love it, right on the money. Onwatd is the only place we want to go.

    ReplyDelete