A series of essays….
THE JOY OF GIVING IS VERY SATISFYING — WHETHER IN
SMALL BOXES OR LARGE LIFE LESSONS
….as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures. A remarkably true statement as far as I am concerned, believing in the fact that the entire world is our oyster which means that we can achieve anything we wish in life or go anywhere because we have the opportunity or ability to do so. Often, having the means to do so can be the challenging factor, but if there is a will—there is always a way. Being inventive, patient, and true to your commitment, in my personal experience, will get you anywhere you’d like to go!
But remember…life can become complicated. Pace yourself. You will know when it is the right time for everything to take place.
When we do arrive at our particular destination with so many adventures to follow, it is not uncommon to feel the spirit of this place embrace us, guide us, and watch over us as we open-up to all of the possibilities ahead.
After achieving a higher education at Michigan State University and committing to a lifelong relationship with the love of my life, we brought our first daughter into this world when we were twenty-five years old. Alexandria (Ali) was everything and more than we expected to feel and experience from being first-time parents. Partially due to the fact that Dan held a degree in Building Construction Management, we were able to build our first home, a small, gray-sided Cape Cod, in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, and bring our newborn home to her nursery with all of the trimmings and comforts we could provide for her.
By the time Ali turned three, we decided to fly, as a family, to Chicago for a long weekend and provide her with this brief experience of flying and traveling, even if it was only between Lansing and the Windy City! She enjoyed every minute of it, too. And, everyone fell in love with this adorable little blondie with the perpetual smile on her face.
We visited museums, walked along North Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile), introduced her to that side of Lake Michigan in nearly every way possible before boarding the plane back to Lansing.
I won’t kid myself…that adventure was as much for our benefit as it was for hers. It was the beginning of her experience to ‘all things possible’ and initially opened up Ali’s vein of curiosity, the potential for doing more as she grew older, and helped to create a need and desire for travel that would last her a lifetime of memories and joy! And, as I recall, shopping at Water Tower Place with an elongated adventure through FAO Schwarz, the iconic toy store for kids of all ages, was well worth the trip to Chicago.
Both of our daughters never hesitated to board a flight, drive anywhere in a car, ride in a train, or jump on a boat in order to enjoy a new adventure. Now that they both have families of their own, the spirit of adventure holds even higher stakes as they have introduced their children to the amazing world of travel and discovery. I am so proud that the opportunity to travel the world exists for all of them. When I was quite young, traveling to different places and experiencing new cultures only existed through books and a fertile imagination. But, there was plenty of time to plan some of my future itineraries and be able to watch them unfold before me when the time was right.
Today, our beautiful daughter, wife, and mother, Alexandria, celebrates another birthday. We could not be more proud of her and all of her accomplishments throughout the years. Yes, she is an ambitious and successful career women who also knows how to maintain a fairly smooth and healthy balance between work and the well-being of her family of four. And, the wonderful part is that she married someone who had devoted his post college life to backpacking around and discovering Europe before moving down to the Orlando area (Walt Disney World) to work at Disney’s Wide World of Sports where Eric and Ali first met.
So, blessed are the curious, blessed are the young at heart no matter how old they are, blessed are those who deliberately choose to become enlightened both physically and mentally by immersing themselves into a different culture and land. And, blessed are the poets and philosophers who understand that ‘the human body was never meant for sitting behind desks or walking paved streets, or maneuvering tight corners,’ to paraphrase John O’Donahue — Irish Poet & Philosopher.
John O’Donahue said, When longing dies, creativity ceases. The arduous task of being a human is to balance longing and belonging so that they work with and against each other to ensure that all the potential and gifts that sleep in the clay of the heart may be awakened and realized in this one life.
Blessed are those who encourage others to take the forest path and contemplate the trees and birdsong. Blessed are those who feel the sand between their toes and reflect upon the waves rolling in off the surface of the ocean. And, blessed are those who mentor the young in the natural beauty that exists in this world and teaches them to seek it out, wherever they may travel. May the young who listen intently to them learn to pass this wisdom down to others as they themselves grow and mature.
Well, Ali, I do believe that Dad and I did our very best while you were young and most impressionable. May your curiosity always be kept alive and strong and take you places you’ve only dreamed about. Today, on your Special Day, I wish you Peace, Joy, Good Health, Happiness, and more Love than you’ve ever believed possible! Happy Birthday my Beautiful Daughter. Stay kind. Remain curious, and always enjoy life to the fullest.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALI!!! |
Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
