CLOSING ONE DOOR WHILE OPENING ANOTHER

 

A series of essays….

A SEA OF CHRISTMAS ‘2021’ PAST

…as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Removing each glittering bauble, stretch of sparkling gold ribbon, and string of miniature white lights from the tree is bringing its own form of closure to the season. Closing shop for now. See you in a few months. In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of glistening snowscapes and multi-colored flowers and salmon-hued sunsets while walking the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan and the crisp, earthy tones related to a perfect autumn day—all in the weeks and months to come.

The commercial side of the holidays is being wrapped in white cotton and tissue paper and placed in its container for protection. But, the pure joy that the season creates through the gathering of family and friends, and the expression of love, gratitude, and purpose—should last us a lifetime. 

After all, it’s a new year with fresh ideas and plans formulating to give it heft and a new identity! Instead of thinking about the new half-bath upstairs, maybe it’s time to make it happen; clean out the boxes of ‘stuff’ that have cluttered and layered your life for the past three years. Hang some drywall and make the upstairs warm and accommodating for grandchildren and future guests. 

Why don’t you bring someone new into your family, as well…?

Glancing at the bedside clock, I see it glowing 6:22 in the early hours of this brand new, January day. Dan has vacated the warmth of our nocturnal retreat at least fifteen minutes beforehand.

Gently pulling the blue, satin draperies aside several inches, I gaze out at the front yard that is speckled with tiny paw prints that perforate the new snowfall, helping it breathe with instant vigor and excitement. Somewhere out there, in the dawning of this new day, walking gingerly through the snow himself while   carrying  the handle of a retractable dog leash, is my husband. Recharged, reenergized  by the simple responsibility of caring for the needs of someone much smaller than himself, he dons full winter gear in order to take the newest member of our little family outside in the early morning temps to “do her thing!” I realize he has completely potty trained her in less than a week.

She was an unexpected gift, manna from heaven, a total surprise package wrapped in strawberry blond fur and bejeweled with razor sharp baby teeth and everything else expected of a puppy three months old. She was our rescue puppy who still had not been given a formal name and was brought to us by Santa herself on Christmas Eve morning. Santa being a well-intentioned single mom who felt she was doing the right thing by her three young children; saddened by the reality that she’d bitten off more than she could possibly chew.

This kind lady knew that we could and would love this sweet little girl, as well as provide her with a happy home and energetic visits with our own young grandchildren.  She had simply committed the venial sin of overestimating her own value of time and perseverance when it came down to juggling all of the balls of being a single mom, working five days a week, and carving out a slice of ‘alone’ time so that she could breathe. Being an excellent mother, she was able to realize what was truly important in her life at this time and understanding that being there for her kids did not have to mean taking on the burden of training an energetic puppy along with everything else.

WHO, ME? I DIDN’T DO IT!

I had often envisioned my own youthful Mother with the fiery red hair that this puppy possesses and momentarily thought of calling her Olga after Mom. But, we threw quite a few names into the air that day hoping to have just the right one land where it should. 

Having only a plush toy zebra, a leash, and plastic food and water dishes, we decided to run to Blaine’s for some much needed supplies. Taking her with us, out of necessity, we secured a small crate and cushion, ceramic dishes, a harness and retractable leash, small rawhide bones (much better than our arms to nibble on), and healthy puppy chow to begin her new diet. The entire time there we were tossing names back and forth at one another like tennis players in the midst of an engrossing match.

Given my love for the name Aubrey, we began calling her Bree with Chewbacca (Chewie) as a middle name. Most appropriate, I believe. Bree it was and is and she recognizes it with the turn of her head and the stare of her small, intensely bright, deep brown eyes every time she hears it.

Our lives have changed, too! How could they not? We have expanded our love to someone who truly needs and depends on us making us feel purposeful again. Having lost our Cocker Spaniel, Brûlée, six years ago, it was time to allow the warmth and happiness of this puppy into our Michigan home. I know her presence has pulled Dan and I closer, as well. 

What a perfect win-win situation for all of us! Now, our little yellow/green cottage has become complete in every way. We intend to honor each seasonal change with Bree close by our side for many years to come. After all…that’s what family is all about!

DAN MEETING BREE FOR 
THE FIRST TIME

Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

THANKFULNESS

A series of essays....

EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR THE BEAUTY OF NATURE;
MOST GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO CHOOSES TO KEEP IT THIS WAY!

....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

THANKFULNESS

and gratitude are the two words that we often use to express the benefits we receive in life. Most people do not fully understand the difference between the two, yet each finds its way into our day-to-day life, one way or another; opening the door to joy and happiness as we go about our daily business. We are thankful for the kind gestures bestowed upon us as when someone treats us kindly and with a smile on their face, allows us to go ahead in a long line, or passes the butter to you at dinner after asking them politely to do so. Thankfulness usually happens as a reaction from someone’s action and is, generally, not an occurrence at random moments when the mind is set on ‘idle.’  Offering a polite ‘thank you’ for a simple act of kindness is a gregarious expression of your appreciation and is a social norm applicable in general situations. Thankfulness is often associated with either words or a gesture of appreciation; a ‘tip of an imaginary hat’ act of kindness to be bestowed upon another human being in good faith.

Gratitude is the special manifestation of spirituality, love, and affection. Being grateful is a very intense sense of feeling that happens at a deeper level and comes from within your heart and very depths of your soul. Thankfulness can often be the first step and then we manifest approval and great emotion as we appreciate the people and things that have been of genuine assistance to us in this lifetime. Perhaps it is being grateful for the faithful pair of hiking shoes that have seen you climb a mountain or two, or expressing gratefulness to a spouse who has always been there for you through the ups and downs that life has to offer, or expressing our gratitude towards the sister-in-law who has devoted much of her precious time to her beautiful Mother suffering from dementia for many years. Gratitude is the act of being authentic towards someone by showing love, commitment, and devotion for the meaningful relationship you share. Think of it as if our minds and hearts give birth to the belief that others help us feel good about ourselves, share experiences, and promote the understanding that the universe has conspired to connect us together, then we can feel grateful from within and express our feelings even without the use of words or gestures. It is possible to express how we feel about our own financial blessings and transfer this feeling of gratefulness on by paying for a stranger’s meal. The act of gratefulness can live on in our memory indefinitely, always there to remind us of those we feel grateful toward many years later; suddenly recalling the importance of our loved ones no matter how many years transpire since the last physical reunion.

To be a thankful person is a benefit in life that we should never take for granted. Practicing the art of gratefulness is a step above and beyond thankfulness. Combined, it is the best way to live a fulfilling and enriched lifestyle and the key to happiness is keeping gratitude at the forefront of everything we do. We cannot afford to be thankless or ungrateful for all of the good in our lives, especially now when many lives are feeling the pressure of despair, depression, and hopelessness within a very thankless world. I will always be eternally thankful for the nutritious variety of food that is painstakingly prepared for our Thanksgiving feast either by myself or in conjunction with the people I love. And, I am most grateful for all of those same people who graciously surround me with their kindness and affection, making this particular holiday so special. When we focus on how privileged we are, it makes it easier to want to bless others and express our deep sense of appreciation toward all of the good in the world around us.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE! MAY YOU ALWAYS BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE BLESSINGS IN YOUR LIFE...!

Photo taken in September of 2019 at Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve in Arcadia, Michigan.

Copyright © 2019 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

SEPTEMBER THOUGHTS

A series of essays.....

A PERFECT PICNIC SPOT NEAR LAKE
MICHIGAN ALONG MICHIGAN'S WEST COAST

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


"Dig deep within; everything you need exists within you."

I am a fan of Alex E. Carey! Alex is a YA or 'Young-Adult' author whom I met via social media and her quotes continue to uplift and encourage me each day. Especially, as the month of September looms on the horizon and a fast-paced summer carries on with a bang before slowly winding down with more thought provoking characteristics and qualities heading into fall and winter.

September is, by far, my favorite month of the year!

This time of the year reminds me of one of my best-loved fiction authors from Scotland, Rosamunde Pilcher, who released her novel entitled "September" in nineteen ninety, published by St. Martin's Press. The novel begins in May as invitations are being written for a party in September. "September in Scotland is when a brief but glorious summer is ending and the long, gray winter has yet to begin. It is a time of almost frenzied rounds of parties and houseguests and reels. September is a month when marriage is proposed and marriages break up, when people drink a little too much, dance a little too late into the night, when promises are made, hearts are broken, and long-buried family secrets can come to light." ......St. Martin's Press.

I enjoy a book that temps the reader with layer upon layer of interesting characters and becomes a curl-up-under-the-covers kind of old-fashioned read. Even though her most popular book is "The Shell Seekers," I have always been partial to "September." As for being an author, Ms. Pilcher says her stories are "not so much love stories, but more about human relations..... If the stories do not have a happy ending, then they always have a hopeful ending."

I love the healthy 'crunch' of the fallen leaves beneath my feet when I take a mind and soul-cleansing walk through the neighborhood at dusk in late September. While breathing in the heady scent of the leaves, I think about all things related to the season as in the harvesting of pumpkins and the warm, spicy scent of golden pies cooling on a rack. My vivid imagination allows me to hear the sudden cracking sound of juicy apples snapped right from the tree and inhale the cinnamon scented, mulled apple cider steaming in the pot, soon to be ladled into thick, brown mugs. Definitely hand warmers for the body and soul.

Fall always has me looking forward with sweet anticipation to Halloween, a holiday originally influenced by Samhain, a Celtic autumn festival, and picture happy, little faces disguised by masks, red clown noses, and cascades of Princess sparkles. My own birthday, hiding in the shadows of this spirited holiday and just a few days afterwards, warms my heart!

And, I think about color.....yellow, red, orange, crimson, and gold, as well as the green leaves that are last to change; chlorophyll holdouts. Nature is having one last fling before settling down into winter's sleep and we are being provided with one of the most fantastic photo ops we could ever imagine.

But why, for goodness sakes, does this season between summer and winter have two names? According to Slate Magazine, before it was autumn or fall, it was harvest. Forrest Wickman writes, "While the modern names of winter and summer have been around for more than a thousand years, the names of fall and spring are more recent and less constant. This is partly because the two seasons were long viewed as secondary to summer and winter. As late as the 18th century, English speakers were less likely to think of the year as having four seasons, focusing instead on the coldest and warmest portions of the year.

Harvest as a word to mean not just "a time of reaping" but, also, "the third season of the year" lasted up until the 16th century. But, it was joined by autumn---a word borrowed from the French---at that time. Spring and fall likely gained popularity in conjunction with each other. They initially appeared in the 16th century as 'spring of the leaf and fall of the leaf,' respectively. The two complemented each other nicely and were soon shortened to the more succinct fall and spring with the longer phrases disappearing over the next few hundred years."

Wickman further explains, "Sir Walter Raleigh, one of the first English explorers of North America, uses the word fall to contrast with spring in his writing and poetry. When the British came to implement "The King's English" here, however, they conceded that by the use of 'fall,' North Americans applied the superior term and expressed their envy: Fall is better on the merits than autumn, in every way. It is short, Saxon like the other three season names, picturesque; it reveals its derivation to everyone who uses it, not to the scholar only, like autumn."

While I am on the subject of 'harvest.......,' may I interject a particular fall activity in France that begins, generally, around the first part of September? The French refer to it as la vendange which means grape or wine harvest or vintage; grapes harvested; grape crop. And, for this, many of us shall remain eternally grateful! Vive la France!

Ms. Pilcher may have written that September is a month when marriage is proposed and marriages break up, however, I see it differently. Dan and I planned our marriage in September and on the fifteenth day, coinciding with the college football kickoff season....we dragged all of our family and friends to the church! This included season ticket holders and diehard football fans alike,  as well as my handsome groom. Our MSU Spartans were slated to open the season playing Northwestern. The sports loving contingent sequestered in the church on that sunny, blue-skied afternoon were smiling, wishing us well and even shedding a few tears as Father Adams pronounced us a married couple. I still wonder if missing a Michigan State, Notre Dame, or University of Michigan opening game had anything to do with the tears I saw on those dear, sweet faces as we walked back down the aisle.....

And, who knew that thirty-eight years later, on September 12, 2011, our twins would be born? Kerrington and Brendan, our beautiful grandchildren, born to our youngest daughter, Corinne, and son-in-law, Matthew. Life today is filled with their gusto and exuberance that helps define, deepen and complete the meaning of family.

Autumn, a term used in a most scholarly manner, I might add, often marks the transition of time....the latter part of someone's life or of something's existence. "Autumn of My Life" is a metaphor which likens one's life to the season when the time for planting, growing, and flowering is over and the natural world edges toward dormancy. A time of full maturity, especially the late stages of maturity or the early stages of decline. Oh, no....I did not just go there!

You're right. Aging is never a very popular topic of conversation, especially among the aging themselves. Oh, it is with a soft, muted sensibility that we inform one another about our own aches and pains. Our younger versions always dreaded the thought of growing older. Personally, I am quite delighted to have come this far and be right where I am.

Growing older affords one a certain perspective on life not available from the earlier parts of the journey. Gratitude comes forward as the prevailing consciousness. What could be better than that? Sensing the presence of the 'finish line' is a vivid reminder that every day matters.  

Miracles occur when human beings step up to the life they've got, young and old alike, in good times and bad, and discover they're far more creative and capable than they ever dreamed they were. Miracles occur when we learn to blossom right in the middle of what we told ourselves we could never survive or get beyond. Miracles occur when we have the courage to choose from our deepest and highest self. I know this to be true because I am married to a man who has never lost faith in himself, through very lean and impossible times, and continues to reinvent himself on a daily basis. He represents the true and undeniable meaning of strength and tenacity.

Dr. Judith Rich, aka Dr. For The Soul, once wrote, "Autumn is a time to update the operating system of our life. There are old files and programs to be deleted, hard drives that need cleaning and random access memory to be added. It is time to push the "refresh" button and invent one's self again. Then, choose who you want to be and how you want to live out the remaining years of your life."

I say to all who have pocketed a Medicare Card, approached the age of retirement or, at least, decided to slow down a bit, it's time to become creative in ways never dreamed possible in our younger years. All artists, writers and poets come forth. It is time to push that "refresh" button. It is time to be passionate and fall madly in love with life once again!

September.....

I will leave you with a paragraph or two from the beloved children's book by Charlotte Zolotow entitled, "Say It!" I used to read it to both of my girls and it became one of their favorites, by far:

"It was a golden, windy autumn day. The leaves twirled around the little girl and her mother. 'Say it say it say it!' shouted the little girl. And the mother did say it in all sort of different ways---'It's a wild, wondrous, dazzling day. It's magic. It's a golden, shining, splendiferous day!'---until at last she said it in exactly the way the little girl wanted to hear it!
'Say it,' shrieked the little girl. 'Say it say it say it!'
'I love you,' said her mother. 'I love you I love you I love you!' And she twirled around and around with the little girl in her arms until they were both dizzy."

May this September bring you all of the Joy you require....


Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved                   

CONQUERING FEAR AND EMBRACING GRATITUDE

A series of short essays.....




ENJOYING LUNCH WITH BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes




NOTE: ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 17, 2014
            SPECIAL 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' GREETINGS TO JANIS, MY DEAR FRIEND....
            SO HAPPY TO HAVE RECONNECTED AFTER ALL THIS TIME!
           

KERRINGTON AND AUNT ALI

Look at any face and you will see an incredible story behind it.  Peer deeply into their eyes.  Check-out each and every wrinkle.  Explore the silver strands that adorn their heads and realize how time, coupled with a variety of circumstances, contributed to every character mark exhibited on and around that beautiful face......




Perhaps, then, you will be able to see everyone in a slightly different light.  The story doesn't always have to be about you!  The 'Unleashed Dragon,' or Ego (in this instance) can be tucked safely back into the recesses of your mind, for the time being, while the essence of pure gratitude begins to develop and surround you with its sense of peace, beauty and love.  Such Joy!!!

Gratitude is a most interesting word; the quality of being thankful and able to return the kindness shown us by others. I use the word 'quality' here because it signifies the degree of excellence by which we show our gratitude to others.

"Thanks for the piece of gum." 
"I really appreciated you being there for me when I needed you most."  
"You didn't have to go out of your way to pick me up but, I'm sure glad you did!"

Gratitude.


Let me start at the beginning of our trip to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to visit with our children.....




PARTY AT THE SISKIND HOUSE

 This trip was all about Family, Friendship, Homecoming and, I was fortunate enough to be able to extend my visit to ten days when my husband, Dan, could only claim a long weekend due to his work back in Orlando.  Our daughters planned a party on Saturday, hosted by Ali, our oldest, so that we could get together with family and friends not seen for awhile.  It was very thoughtful of them and so much fun!  Papa (Dan) was actually able to complete the Victorian dollhouse he began with our granddaughter several years before.  Logistics was not their friend.  By Sunday we were already taking Dan to the Grand Rapids airport for his early afternoon flight out but, not before all of us enjoyed sunshine and colorful butterflies at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.  If you've never been there before....it's a must see.  Do not forget your camera.



BRENNA AND LYDIA
PLAYING WITH DOLLHOUSE

I had rented a car in Kalamazoo for the week in order to maintain my personal mobility without being a burden on the kids.  Monday and Tuesday were all about my five precious grandchildren with visits to Corinne's house (our youngest daughter) to be with her, Lydia and the twins, Brendan and Kerrington, while having the pleasure and company of Brenna and Gavin, Ali's two cuties, as well!  Talk about feeling blessed.....

GRANDCHILDREN AT
FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS

Also, I anticipated my planned Wednesday luncheon with the three beautiful ladies with whom I shared memories and stories with as our paths crossed many, many years before. This is where my fear and trepidation began to rear it's ugly head and the dragon (ego) was properly unleashed within me.  This is when the pettiness of 'unimportance' and thoughts of pride formed a sinful attraction to me and my stomach churned with fear and self-loathing as I worried more about the superficial self rather than the depths of character that served to layer my wonderful, fulfilled life throughout the years. Would they be able to see my joy or would they concentrate on thinning hair, excess pounds and life-approved wrinkles?

The amazing part was that I failed to imagine, with that scaly dragon breathing down my neck, what thoughts my friends might be having themselves.  Does time and age matter to them?  The ego is a terrible foe.

As eleven o'clock Wednesday morning rolled around and I stood beside my rental car waiting for unfamiliar vehicles to swing into the Food Dance parking lot pulling my past into the present.......I suddenly saw hands waving and huge smiles flashing from behind the windshield of an SUV pulling into the lot.  Janis and Rosie recognized me immediately!  Shortly afterwards, Karen's car joined the lineup with her additional waves and warm smiles radiating from the driver's seat.  The tummy lurching and self-doubt instantly vanished, seriously, right on cue.  I will never be able to resist pure happiness exhibited by warm hugs and bright smiles!  And, there were lots and lots of each as we stood absorbing the good will of friendships reunited, as well as the April sunshine so desired and deserved by everyone who endured one of the most lengthy and frigid winters Michigan has ever served-up.

"Let's go inside!" we proclaimed in unison. 

The indescribable delight the four of us experienced that day can only be appropriately described by the response of truly being grateful....for so many things.  We were enjoying life, our health (painful joints not really an issue), our families, stories (time in space sometimes misplaced but, never forgotten), and we were filled with such life and animation as we rediscovered the 'young woman' within us once again.  We laughed (sometimes giggled) while recounting escapades of daring and adventure which may or may not include old boyfriends, toilet paper, chalk and fresh eggs....not necessarily in that order.  We exchanged where life had taken us right up to that day with stats on children, grandchildren, trips we'd taken, places where we'd lived to our present residences, and the jobs we currently enjoyed or gladly retired from thus opening up new paths and prospects to explore.  Curiously, we all seemed to be happy and at peace, refusing to intricately explore too far beyond the present.

WE ALL LOOKED.....WELL, BEAUTIFUL!

We all looked....well, beautiful!!  We were bright-eyed, fun and carried on non-stop conversations. Joy and Gratefulness will do that for you, I suppose.  

A wise man once said, "It's only when we conquer our fears do we truly begin to live."  That man is Louie Schwartzberg.  His words serve to remind me what little time we have here on this amazing planet and how we should make the best of it.  Only by taking control of my ego and fear did I truly get to experience the delight and treasure of old friendships, along with the pleasure of living life to its fullest. I realized that age and knowledge do not always create the wisdom we seek to guide us through everyday experiences. Sometimes we just need to step back, take deep breaths and decide how badly we want to begin to live.

Gratitude is the title of one of many short films created by Mr. Schwartzberg, a master of time-lapse photography.  He is an award winning film maker who specializes in the painstaking and time consuming capturing of nature at its finest and describes nature as, "The soul of the world around us."  He has brilliantly devoted the last thirty-five years of his life making vibrantly colored flowers seemingly dance and lush, green vines cling and climb up trees and swing from branch to branch vividly expressing the living truth of their presence here on earth.  And, all of this was accomplished through his time-lapse photography and tons of patience.

LOUIS SCHWARTZBERG

The film, Gratitude, was conceived and narrated by Brother David Steindl-Rast who, in his infinite wisdom, teaches us that to be able to wake-up and experience yet another day in our lives can only be described as, ".....a personal gift to ourselves."  Also, "Life is based upon three basic ideas which are Nature, Beauty and Gratitude."  He explains how we must develop gratitude for all of the little things in life.  Only then will we fully appreciate how our lives exist in harmony with each other and how we must always nurture that harmony and respect nature for its essential and life giving properties.  We must respect our Earth before it is too late to save it.

What legacies will we extend to our children and their children if we fail to protect nature and the environment?  I shudder to think about their future if we continue to fail Mother Nature today.

Mr. Schwartzberg's next project is all about bees, plants and the pollination world that is the living basis of our food chain.  He equates this film to being a love story that feeds the earth and relates the current loss of our bee population to, "....losing friends and a life form."   I've often said that photographers have a different way of seeing the world, either through a long lens or their souls.  As artists, their goal is to help people see things that, perhaps, they don't normally see on the surface.  And, quite brilliantly, through Mr. Schwartzberg's lens and soul, the sheer beauty of nature helps bring all of us back home.

THE THREE ARTISTS

By Thursday, the seventh day of my visit, my daughters and I planned a 'girl's night out' and drove to Battle Creek to participate in Wine and Canvas......a popular business that combines learning how to paint a pre-chosen picture using acrylic paints while consuming the alcoholic beverage of your choice.  Since Ali was the Designated Driver, Corinne and I imbibed in one glass of red for me and a Long Island Iced Tea for her to boost our spirits and morale, of course.  Due to very close quarters, I proceeded to drip blue paint into my 'red' while recalling the paint's natural and non-toxic nature and my sub-conscience decision to drink on!! We had such a good time and so happy to be sharing time together....something that doesn't happen all that often these days.  This was, indeed, a personal gift to ourselves.

Friday was another 'early rise and let's get on the road' kind of day as all of us....with the exception of Corinne's husband, Matt, followed one another to Frankenmuth, Michigan.  Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, here we come!!  The five kids were phenomenally wonderful and close to two hours later we all emerged in one piece with tired feet carrying our bags of Holiday Ornaments and other goodies.  Following a quick bite of lunch downtown (no famous chicken meal for us that day), we toured one of the town's original breweries and beer museums located along the Cass River and proceeded to treat ourselves to ice cream downtown before heading back home.  This German influenced, beer loving little town is also a 'must see' stop on any trip to Michigan.  And, I suggest you do take the time to enjoy their famous family-style chicken dinner offerings while you're there.  It's always finger-licking delicious.

EXPLORING BRONNER'S
CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND

By Saturday evening, Ali, Corinne and I hit the Crossroads Mall running....  Literally, running because we'd gotten off to a late start.  However, the ladies knew precisely what they were looking for and, several dresses, tops and sweaters later, we were cooling our tired heels at Panera Bread with mixed beverages and yummy scones on our menu.  How amazing it is to sit and converse with my grown daughters without thinking about how I used to tie their shoes or cut-up their food for them. This evening I savored every breathing moment; I never really know when history will repeat itself giving me precious time alone with these two women I love and respect so much.  I hope it will be soon....

All of a sudden, it was Sunday and my turn to return home to Orlando.  Bittersweet, certainly.  Just as I had so easily stared into the experienced and lovely faces of my high school friends on Wednesday at lunch in order to extract their incredible stories, I now gazed lovingly into the faces of those I hold most dear to my heart.  Was it a story I wanted this time or, was I hoping to inhale the very essence of, the intrinsic nature and indispensable quality of, each one of these beloved and exotic creatures that hold such a special place in my heart? 

OUR FIVE EXOTIC CREATURES

And, that's okay!  I will cherish their essence every day I am home.  I will work hard and write each and every day and, given time, it always takes time, we will all be together again.  Life.....is all about those things you attempt to neatly fit into a small window of precious, fleeting time.



I have conquered my fears this time around and because of this.....I will truly begin to live!















HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!!