TRAVEL CAN MEAN FINDING YOUR OWN FRENCH COUNTRY BED & BREAKFAST

A series of essays.....

NAVIGATING FRANCE IN 1990 WITH CHARM AND GRACE ~
STILL POSSIBLE TODAY & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” Quote by Gustave Flaubert, born 12 December 1821, died 8 May 1880. 

If travel makes one modest then, in my humble opinion, travel planning can be a very fulfilling and gratifying experience that allows you to fit nicely within the vast world around you. Planning any trip, whether large or small, is the act of creating the skeletal structure that gives everything its shape, keeps things in place and running as smooth as possible. Good planning is equivalent to the solid outline of your soon to be written story and serves to guide you in the basic direction of theme, plot, and purpose of each character involved.

Where your story (trip) takes you from here, remains unwritten. Your yet to be discovered activities will lead you down small, cobbled streets, country roads, meeting new people who may speak different languages, and your imagination will guide you to just about anywhere you’d like to go; help you to experience just about anything you’d like to experience. What a beautiful thing!

Planning a trip from the beginning to the time you step off of a plane, train, ferry, or any other mode of transportation in order to arrive at your destination, is a challenge I willingly accept. I love it! For me, it’s like designing and building a ‘stick’ house and actually visualizing each separate room even before the sheet rock is installed and room demarcation is formally established. Sometimes, even at such an early point, I can decorate each room with distinct colors and have pictures up on the walls.....especially, if I am comfortable and familiar with whom the rooms are being, figuratively speaking, built for. 

Back in 1990, I recall sitting on the other side of the desk, the back of the computer, a wheezing, beige hulk of perforated plastic, glared at me while the travel agent looked-up the possible flights we could choose from for our first family excursion to Europe. I was frustrated. I knew that, given access to and the proper tools to look up the information on my own, I could do her job with gusto and aplomb. 

Needless to say, that was the last major trip we were required to have to use the services of a travel agent. And, having the tools right in front of me, on the screen of my own computer, worked right into my hands and vivid imagination. I knew that there would always be people and corporations that would require the important services provided by a travel agency. Like many services today, offering the convenience of supplying time and effort into something others do not have time to deal with or, when multiple people are engaged as a group and traveling at the same time, these services will always be a welcomed necessity.

I had the world all to myself! With the eventual added convenience of Websites and most accommodations relying upon a personal Website to advance their establishment’s information, how could I not imagine flirting with all of these worldly facts on my own? Everything was, conveniently, at my fingertips; at my disposal. 

"ALL ILLUSTRATED WITH
PEN-AND-INK SKETCHES"

I recall purchasing one of my first Bed & Breakfast books at the Michigan State University Book Store on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. It was entitled, “Karen Brown’s French Country Bed & Breakfasts ~ A Travel Guide to the Charming Bed & Breakfasts of France with Descriptions of Over 160 inexpensive Places to Stay,” with a copyright dated 1989. It included small, pen and ink sketches of each property along with the names of the hosts, a short description of the place, directions, and their telephone number. That’s all I needed. 

Even though we required the agent to book our various flights to Munich, London, Dublin, Düsseldorf, and back home, once again...I dug deep into my resources and knowledge of the French language to pull together our twenty-day adventure. 

Knowing I needed to write in English to all of the German establishments I contacted, I truly did make an effort to write to the lovely places we stayed at in France en français which included a romantic manor home in Auxerre, a charming small hotel in the old town center (Centreville) of Strasbourg, and more. In return, I received amazing letters back, written in French and welcoming us to that country with open arms. It was a stimulating and adventurous endeavor on my part to make this all come together and work for us as a family. Eventually, our experiences in Europe were worth every word written and each agonizing week it took to hear back from the individual hosts in response to my inquiry.

The skeleton was established and the layers of work that compiled the ‘who, what, where’ and meat of this project began to form and take on a shape that was very satisfying and pleasantly doable. 

This inaugural trip to Europe in 1990 was a huge success for us. Since that time, I’ve put together quite a few visits back to different areas of France, several trips along the Wild Atlantic Way and the West Coast of Ireland, and I am in the midst of planning a brand new trip to Scotland, Wales, and Ireland scheduled for 2018. Dan and I will be traveling with our good friends and, coupled with the excitement of putting together some incredible memories along the way, writing about our adventures is something I am very much looking forward to!

Honoring a ‘right of passage,’ otherwise known as formal retirement, we will be like four ships passing through the territorial seas of foreign states and straits used for international navigation. Only our ship will be rental cars, mainly, with a ferry boat thrown in for good measure between Holyhead in Wales, U.K. and Dublin, Ireland!

As a travel writer today, I have to say that it’s with pure joy that I am fortunate enough to experience so many different places, points of interest, historical revelations, and innumerable local traditions. I believe that by listening to the lilt of a foreign language or a particular vernacular, the experience will sweep you into a different world; a new dimension in time and space. 

WISHING ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS
NEW YEAR IN 2018!!!

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

TICKING ONE MORE ITEM OFF THE LIST: THE LAST COMPANY CHRISTMAS PARTY

A series of essays.....

THE INFAMOUS GIN AND TONIC
LOCATED SUSPICIOUSLY CLOSE TO THE COFFEE!

.....as seen through my eyes!

🎄 

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

The ‘good stuff’ was flowing....all evening long. A frosty glass tumbler consisting of ice, and equal portions of Tanqueray and tonic cooled my hand through its white cocktail napkin shawl. Best gin and tonic in town I thought, watching the juice and pulp from the manually squeezed citrus wedge intermingle with the tonic, the gin, and ice beneath its sinking, lime-green canoe. Free drinks always taste so good!

OUR HOSTS, ROGER B KENNEDY
AND HIS WIFE, LEIGH

Greeting us personally, only moments beforehand, our host wished us a delightful evening before handing us name tags the size of mini-billboards that were to be clipped to our apparel. Thoughts of, “Should I clip it to one earlobe, or turn it sideways attached to a sleeve?” went through my mind before finding an acceptable spot.

Having arrived fashionably late, more in terms of the punk rock band than by following any outdated social norm (discretion artfully employed), the other participants at this gig were already far beyond the ‘first gin and tonic’ stage. Remember, nothing but the very best flowing freely tonight!

TWO KIDS CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS ~ 2017

Slithering our way through the masses towards the quintessential watering hole, and being reintroduced to people I had met for the first time last December, I was now being introduced to new employees and their spouses. While shaking outstretched hands and employing ‘barely there’ hugs, the thought of these being “once in a lifetime” greetings passed before me like the wisp of a ghostly shadow between each smile and jovial introduction. 

 Later in the evening, right before we were saying our good-byes to our host with sincere appreciation for the good food, drink, and hospitality, Ed was standing in the foyer. Newly married for one month, I’d met Ed and his charming girlfriend at the Christmas party last year. Recalling conversations about past travels and hopeful future travels, we hit-it-off as smoothly as freshly Zambonied ice between hockey periods. 

Born in South Africa thirty-something years ago, his family moved to the States where he, eventually, attended Northwestern University and somehow became a young Project Manager for ‘The Man’ here in Orlando. The sadness in his eyes frightened me. Why would this intelligent, young man be sad? And then he asked, “How many grandchildren do you and Dan have up in Michigan?” “Five,” was my reply. “How old are they?” Upon telling him, he stared at me and said, “Then five very solid reasons for retiring and heading to Michigan. As much as I will miss Dan, I know he’s doing what he needs to do.”

All through dinner, served with Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon at each table, and an open bar right up until the stroke of midnight, Dan was being cajoled into adding a year or more to his employment status by his co-workers who insisted he should not leave; he was too young and productive yet to retire. Dan has some ingrained personality trait embedded deep within him that usually endears him to most everyone he works with and for. I call it his ‘super care' trait. Quite often, he cares so much about others, he loses a small piece of himself in the process. 

RICH, DAN'S BOSS, JUST
BEING RICH!

After forty-seven years in the business, working in multiple states for various companies, and enjoying the camaraderie offered by office staff, sub-contractors, and his wide assortment of superintendents alike.....bidding adieu to the physicality of his job is going to be difficult. The mental process of it is what has helped him retain quick thinking and structure which has served him well throughout the years. Kept him young and on his toes. Brightened his mornings when things were going exceptionally well.

Given a problem to solve and walking himself through each twist and turn towards its inevitable solution has been his forte. He’s always been so good at it. Good enough to earn the nickname “Golden Boy” more often than I can remember. I always liked his “Golden Boy” image as it conjured up accolades and personal pride and possible rewards. As children with parents and parents with children...we know the benefits of offering appreciation and rewards for jobs well done. Productivity and self esteem levels rise and this can have such a positive effect on everyone around you.

Short-timer walking...

Last Christmas we weren’t absolutely sure about the longevity of his continuance as Project Manager with this particular company due to retirement and we glided through the evening like a stalwart ship sailing upon friendly, blue waters back then. We could afford to enjoy those ‘barely there’ hugs and dance our way into oblivion....at least, until the bewitching hour. I could tell it was different for him this year. There was sadness behind his blues eyes; a speeding sense of closure after a lifetime of career and genuine accomplishment. 

DAN WITH SHELDON,
ANOTHER 'SHORT-TIMER'

Forty-seven years of waking up each weekday morning like clockwork, so ingrained within his psyche that after a while an alarm clock is no longer required. Does that feeling ever go away? Should we even want it to?

He recently began his final building project and has written-up several of the contracts with subcontractors who will be working on his job located in Clermont, Florida. Up until the other day, he had been working on three large multi-family apartment complexes for three different owners and turned one over with a certificate of occupancy last Friday. He’s now down to two with this second to be completed early next year. Soon, the completion of the Clermont job will mark his retirement. Devoting one’s life to anything is a lifetime achievement and to watch the ‘end of an era’ finally approach can be a daunting experience. 

Short-timer walking...

Sitting here writing about my husband’s impending retirement plans with mixed feelings of my own, I can’t help but think back to an emotionally charged Christmas party in Heathrow, Florida last Saturday evening. With its fun, laughter, and thought provoking insights affecting our future, I see our friend Ed’s face staring back at me.  His youth and determined ambition reminds me of a younger Dan with the world his oyster and so many stories and accomplishments to look forward to. And it strikes me how refreshing and instinctual his questions were, especially after not seeing us for such a long while...

CLINT AND DAN, BOTH PROJECT
MANAGERS FOR KENNEDY CONSTRUCTION

“How many grandchildren do you have up in Michigan? How old are they now? As much as I will miss Dan, I know he is doing what he needs to do.” 

Dan may be close to being a ‘short-timer.' however, he knows that he is walking in the right direction, albeit a few years earlier than even he expected. Oh, how his eyes light-up when we mention their names! How both our hearts sing at the thought of being so close to the five little people who bring us such infinite amounts of Joy!

What a wild and wacky, chronically busy, and absolutely wonderful year 2018 promises to be!

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

STAMINA: A REQUIRED AESTHETIC FOR THE NEW YEAR

 A series of essays.....

TAKING PICTURES AFTER CLIMBING HIGH ABOVE
CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK IN IRELAND: 2013

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

All I want for Christmas is enough stamina to get me through the end of 2017 and thrust me head first into the new year, 2018. 

For some, the wish may be to rectify an old, nasty habit (i.e. stop smoking) in order to change their life for the better. And, for others, it might be the acquisition of a large, shiny new toy such as a bright red,Tesla Roadster....for example. Just saying. Whatever it might be, it’s more than likely out of their range of possibility, anyway. 

But, on my ‘wish list’ there is one thing and one thing only: More stamina!

If I were an endurance runner, I would hope that my body would physically be prepared to withstand hardship and stress and I would mentally be capable of tolerating unfavorable environmental conditions to the point that, eventually, I would not shut down and could competently go on to endure these hardships facing me with discipline and courage. Even if I fail to cross the finish line for some unimaginable reason, I would consider myself a winner having worked so hard for so long and with so much at stake.

Well, that’s exactly what we are running every single day of our lives folks, the ultimate endurance race! 

Let’s ask ourselves a few questions:

After working so hard all my adult life, will the money placed into Social Security by myself and my employers throughout the years be taken away by greedy politicians?

Will the Greatest Nation in the world be reduced to blithering rubble by having introduced a vile, corrupt, evil, and dangerous administration into the White House bent on enhancing its own individualistic desires under the obscure and inappropriate label of ‘making us great again?’

Why has the basic advancement of beauty, progress, goodness, light, and love of the past eight years been diminished to the point of grotesque hatred of all things wholesome, solid, and nourishing to our world and being taken away from us simply because they are wholesome, solid, and nourishing?

What will be the legacy that we pass down to our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren? 

GREETING BRENNA ELIZABETH,
  MY FIRST GRANDCHILD
 

Will we have the stamina to fight back, resist, and return our country to the right path of leadership as we attempt to revert what’s currently ripping us apart by greed, corruption, hatred, and power? I certainly hope so. But, it’s going to take a lot of discipline, endurance, and stamina by all of us who are capable of observing this corrupted ‘freak show’ going on in Washington D.C. and utilize our endless courage to combat it, together!

There cannot be a compromise of values here. There are way too many lives at stake. Can you even imagine what we’d all be saying within our small pockets of close neighbors and friends if another so-called progressive country proclaimed a grave taxation on those earning the equivalent of ten thousand dollars per year and, at the same time, promised a large tax break to those within the highest income bracket? Then, they take away their health insurance and tell them that they’re not worthy of living a normal, comfortable life of having solid employment, being able to place food on the family table every day, being protected from an unforeseen health crisis, or, in general.....living a basic, happy life! The conversation at the proverbial water cooler would be buzzing and many of us, not too long ago, would be saying how this could never happen here. We’re safe.

It is happening here!! Within our presence and with such gusto that our heads are spinning around so fast we could all resemble extras in the 1973 horror movie 'The Exorcist.' False truths, fictitious reasoning, and pure hatred inundate our senses and come in great waves like the roiling sea in an approaching storm. And, this strategy is exactly what the Trump administration is employing in its attempt to break down our reserves, grate at our happiness, and divide us in every imaginable way possible. Remember that a divided nation is a weakened nation. Plain and simple. If we are weakened we are more susceptible to corruption in all of its forms, domestic or foreign.

I know you hear this saying over and over again these days and I do, too. However, I believe it to be solid truth in all of its many forms: Life is way too short for all of this crap! Never have truer words been spoken! You probably recall your grandmother or mom telling you that it takes less energy and fewer muscles to smile than it does to wear a frown on your face. If we translate that into love vs. hate.....well, you see where I’m going with this, right? 

The Buddhist philosophy explains how we must never take anything for granted and every act we make should be one filled with goodness and understanding of everything that surrounds us and is within us. There is no discrepancy between the color of your skin, how much money you make, what god you choose to believe in or not believe in at all, or how we choose to live our lives in time, space, love of another, or degrees of happiness. 

As individuals, we are our own keepers and should strive to conduct ourselves as ‘equal opportunity’ members of the human race. Just as evil can easily spread among people of a nation through their weakness and vulnerability, try to imagine the ‘power of love‘ that can be created by the sharing of light, goodness, understanding, and beauty. Of course you can because we'd been experiencing it throughout the entire eight years of the Obama administration.

So, there you have it. Twisting evil back into goodness takes immeasurable amounts of stamina! 

Repairing the crumbling infrastructure of our country, in terms of Washington D.C. and our current system of politics, as well as our bridges and roads, will become our greatest tasks after this administration is, finally, gone. We're going to require a lot of stamina for this one!

In 2017 we have all been training for the longest, hardest, and most important endurance race of our lives. Our first challenge is to accept what is wrong and consciously decide how to rectify it. Next, we prepare our minds and bodies to withstand the hardship and stress that clusters around us like evil spirits and we assess our options. Then, only as a unified body, can we begin to take-on the divisive hate rhetoric that the Trump regime has been working on and pulling-off for the last several years.

Raising a child may take a village, however...taking back our country from the hands of corruption will take every man, woman, and child (because they are the future) working long and hard together as a single entity, for one all important purpose....Our Freedom! 

ROBERT MUELLER:
APPOINTED SPECIAL COUNSEL TO
OVERSEE RUSSIA PROBE

Passing out gifts of ‘stamina’ to Robert Mueller and his staff of prosecutors who have been enduring this battle for many weeks now, as well as to all of the hardworking people within the United State’s Congress and Senate who have been leading a good fight and doing a magnificent job with what little they often have to work with in order to staunch the tide of such an evil and corrupt administration. Believe me when I say that most of us are profoundly grateful to all of you. Please, for the sake of each and every one of us, keep up your good work!

Resist!

Copyright 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

LIST OF APPRECIATION

Original poetry.....

FIVE PRECIOUS HEARTS THAT BEAT AS ONE WITH MY OWN
~I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR THESE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN~

.....as seen through my heart.



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Years of Experience:
Accumulated knowledge;
Common sense;
Erudition;
Wisdom and
Enlightenment...Without these there would be no future!

The Arts:
Plays;
Paintings;
Sculpture;
Stone Balancing;
Poetry and
Literature...Just to name a few! Yes, including all Music Genres!

A Sense of:
Balance;
Humor;
Right from Wrong;
Design, and
Several Things in between.

So Grateful For:
A Strong, Healthy Environment Which Includes...
Earth, Mind, Body and Soul.
The ability to value all that we've had bestowed upon us such as Clean Water, Fresh Air, Healthy Food, and the opportunity and right to keep them that way.....forever!

The Freedom To:
Travel the Earth;
Explore Our Universe and Beyond;
Broaden Our Horizon, and
Reach For the Stars!

The Love and Belief in Family and Friends:
Shelter thy weary spirit within the bosom of our
Loved Ones...

The Absence of Hate,
Bigotry,
Racism,
Prejudice, and 
Discrimination...

Oh, what a wonderful world this would be!

The Eviction of the Ego:
To Love,
Respect, and 
Accept ourselves completely while believing in the
Beauty we all have within us.
Then, we might look at others and see our Beautiful Selves
Within Them!

The Appreciation of and...
The Willingness to Accept Change,
Live Without Fear Or Favor.
Soar Like An Eagle and
Rise Above Negativity and Hate!

On a Lighter Note...

The Evolution and Invention of the Camera...
Ancient Greeks, Zahn, Schultz, Daguerre and Niepce;
To Wolcott, Talbot, Eastmann and beyond.
I will always be grateful,
Eternally so,
For the application of Light..Reflection..Dark Spaces.

The Simplistic Ability To:
Smile,
Laugh,
Enjoy,
Appreciate, and... Drum roll Please!

LOVE

Taken from "1 Corinthians 13:13"
Gracing our wedding invitations and married life...
"And now these three remain:
Faith, Hope, and Love. But,
The greatest of these is.....LOVE!"

THE GREATEST OF THESE IS...LOVE!


Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to Everyone! Shelter your weary spirit within the bosom of your Loved Ones and Be Happy. November 23, 2017.


Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

MASS EFFECTS: A KINDER, BETTER WORLD

A series of essays.....

NORMAN ROCKWELL'S 'FREEDOM FROM WANT'

                    Courtesy Denver Public Library



.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Being away from one’s normal setting for even a little while can encourage a sharper, more defined outlook on the life around you. That’s why we make the time to take vacations and release ourselves from what may have become the ordinary to experiencing the various levels of the extraordinary! 

The allure of heading up to our new life in Michigan or, at least, preparing our home up there for our arrival, is considered a pleasant reprieve from the normal. However, with i-Pad on lap and tapping into the Internet via my ‘Personal Hotspot’ on my i-Phone keeps me connected with this crazy world we live in today even while traveling over seventy miles per hour up I-75. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to just disconnect.

'MARBLE CHAMP' BY NORMAN ROCKWELL
~A REMINDER OF MY OWN TOMBOY CHILDHOOD~

                Courtesy Marmont Hill Inc.

In my opinion it’s difficult not knowing what the latest, craziest escapade is involving a world that has drastically changed in values and responsibilities since long ago when I was a small girl growing-up in Mishawaka, Indiana. I believe it's because this world has become so weak and vulnerable, we must keep up with the changes if only to better understand how to cope with and, hopefully, draw our lives back into a kinder and more loving era. And, Dear Santa, could we please eliminate the inequality and blatant hatred of those not exactly like us while we’re at it? What a great gift this would be this Holiday Season!

The Norman Rockwell picture perfect world is a thing of the past. And, that’s okay by me. Now that we’ve dug down deeper into our nation’s history, most of us ‘unenlightened ones’ have sadly discovered that that world was filled with inequality, bigotry, and racism, as well. The difference between then and now is that we may not have recognized all of this back then. The kindly Grandpa images and huggable puppies running up to greet adorable, freckled-faced children may have arrested our hearts but, it clouded our vision at the same time.

NORMAN ROCKWELL ~ SELF IMAGE

                         Courtesy pbs.org

We not only recognize it but, fortunately, we are acknowledging the negativity that exists in our everyday lives today whether we agree with it or not. Taking it one step further, many of us are stepping up to the plate and trying to do something about it. Woman have marched in Washington D.C. to protest a man who is deplorable in his own right and not capable of making decisions for the betterment of our society as a whole. Athletes have taken a knee in order to protect the rights of men, women, and children whose skin is darker than rich, white men. Native Americans will continue to protest in order to preserve what little land and rights our government has failed to take away from them throughout the years.

We are being inundated by juvenile tweets almost every single day that should be highlighted by colored crayon and preschool attempts at printing out each letter of each word. The mere thought that our country is being run by a lonely,   man who consciously decides to communicate at odd hours of the day and night with the people he represents through social media leaves so much more to be desired. If we didn’t know for sure, we could conceivably say that he might be a person weighing four-hundred pounds and sitting on his bed in the middle of the night with phone in hand. Little did we know that he may have been describing himself during that Presidential Debate so many months ago!

'FREEDOM OF SPEECH'

             Courtesy The Norman Rockwell Museum                              

Deplorable. “A sorry state of affairs, indeed!” Despicable. “Taking actions that are perceived to be contemptible and mean.” Detrimental. “In the short and long run, causing harm or injury to ideals and to those these ideals represent.” That pretty much sums up the current Administration in a few, short words.

I, for one, want to believe in the goodness of mankind. I want to think that we are living through the ‘bully stage’ of our young country and that this, too, shall pass as we continue to grow-up leaving the bully far behind us in his own perpetual kindergarten of sorts. I choose to understand that the indecent actions of this current Administration will serve to create a stronger, smarter, and more imaginative mass of citizens who will work together to solve our problems and bring us together as a stronger, better nation. 

I do not believe, however, that these changes will come quickly or easily; good ideas tend to be deliberately scrutinized more rigorously than believing in or latching on to negative ones. I don’t know why this is and I never will. But, I am willing to wait, obliged to try to understand, and remain open to whatever plan it takes to create a kinder, better world to live in. Most importantly, I choose to be an active part of this plan.

Will we ever be able to revert to the naive and innocent (on the surface, anyway) world of our own youth? A time when Mr. Rockwell offered vivid designs of “small-town America and the private moments we all share but often take for granted,” as described by Christies’s Auction House where many of his images of an idealized America were auctioned off and sold. 

ROCKWELL'S SERIES OF
ICONIC HOLIDAY PAINTINGS

                               Courtesy 'Wired'

Somehow we must learn to incorporate this optimistic view of human nature into our lives once again. It’s imperative that we do so. But this time around, let us be intelligent enough to keep up with the times by internalizing all of the knowledge we have compiled throughout the years with regards to human rights and the idea of balancing our lives between that which is good for ourselves and that which is good for everyone else. If we teach our young boys to cook because, after all, they eat, too and, we acknowledge that our young girls can become strong leaders who can define America in a positive light....we could be headed in the right direction. Baby steps.

I want to have hope and I’d like to believe in a Norman Rockwell world again; it’s becoming much crazier and more difficult to do all the time. We need to eliminate the trickle-down hate and deception generated within the White House and exchange it for a kinder, better, and more tolerant world. We must learn from our mistakes. Tomorrow depends on us.

'LITTLE SPOONERS' OR 'SUNSET'
A KINDER, BETTER WORLD

                               Courtesy Art.com

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER CRAZY THINGS

A series of essays.....

BIRTHDAY WISHES FROM NEAR AND FAR

.....as seen through my eyes!






 By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

There’s really no personal win when we decide to challenge the inevitable. 

Oh, but how hard we try! Especially when it comes to growing older and having to endure consistent physical changes.

Okay, I am thinking about (feeling a bit sorry for) the people whose pictures have been exploited on social media via headlines such as: “Child stars and what they look like today,” and “Botched plastic surgery,” or “Unrecognizable after too many surgeries!” Even if these photos are not genuine but intentionally fabricated by some perverse, dark soul intending to besmirch the reputation of others, we still look at them. We may think how pompous people with fame and money can be, choose to ignore any unmitigated circumstances, and wind up feeling even more superior and portentous than many of them by believing we’d never do that no matter how wealthy we are. 

The more money we have, the greater the possibility of spending more time and effort in finding our preferred Fountain of Youth?

Our love affair with maintaining a youthful appearance always seemed quite superficial to me and yet, I sit here, hypocritically preaching, having had my roots lightened and hair highlighted only yesterday morning! Yes, admittedly, this has been my guilty pleasure since the term naturally blond began to fade (literally!) into the annals of my youth. These recorded check-and-balances every November of my life serve as documented evidence of the passing of time, undeniable aging, and yes....the onslaught of the inevitable.

We can run and we can attempt to hide from this fierce attack, but there is no denying the small wrinkles lacing the soft skin around the eyes and mouth or that wayward facial hair we pluck away only to have several more emerge the very next day. And, my favorite (NOT!) is this crazy skin condition called ‘crepey skin’ or ‘crepe paper arms!’ I ask you, "What is up with that? A perfect example of something much greater than us having a good chuckle at our expense?"

Well, it’s not like it all happens overnight you know! We have ample time to think about it, attempt to thwart and, as a last resort, totally forget about becoming a teeny bit older each day until our humble attempt at baffling the aging process no longer becomes an option for us. That November date rears its crusty head yet again very soon only to remind me that records are being kept and time continues to elapse even as I sit here typing.

If I’ve carried a particular mantra with me since my early twenties it would have to be, “You are only as old as you feel.” Truthfully, it has served me well over the years. 

Feelings are internalized. Feelings are emotional and moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity). If being only as old as you feel holds true, then I made it my personal goal to feel as young as possible throughout the years. Part of this elaborate process of feeling young no matter what your age is the action of interjecting youthful ideas into and taking modern approaches towards life within our everyday routine. 

Make the time to explore your favorite options of internalizing the aging process. It could be as simple as eating healthy and eliminating sugar from your diet, making it a habit to hang-out with the younger crowd whether it be with your children and grandchildren, or by taking a class at your local university or community college. You’d be amazed how immersing yourself in the youthful energy around you can conjure interesting friendships and amazing, in-depth conversations!

Climb to the peak of a particular hill or mountain and sit there looking out upon the vast world and all of its magnificence and realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. This will place your life in proper perspective. Now breathe in deeply and be in the moment. Our age will have no particular relevance within the vastness of this gratifying point in time and space.

Consciously align with friends who share your own youthful way of thinking because they will help to expand your horizons by riding in tandem with you as you explore life’s many wonders. 

Eventually, It becomes apparent, that we must approach each birthday with an open mind and heart and think of it as another milestone in our eternal quest for knowledge and healing. It’s true. With each new wrinkle, gray strand of hair, and candle on the cake, we become older, wiser, and better prepared for what we have absolutely no control over: the inevitable. How happy we are and how we manage the days and years leading up to this point is strictly within our own personal scope and power.

Therefore, I am eternally grateful for my freedom and flexibility, continued good health, the optimistic influences of creative and talented friends, and the fresh and vigorous antics of my precious grandchildren. Come this fourth of November, I will gladly look into the mirror at a new wrinkle or two, congratulate myself on the hair color choices, and proudly say to myself, “Damn I feel good...and, it shows!”

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

CHARACTER

A series of essays.....

 

A HOME'S CHARACTER CAN REFLECT THE CHARACTER

OF THOSE WHO RESIDE THERE

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


It's nearly possible to feel its texture, estimate its weight, and recognize its behavior by simply looking at the written word itself: Character. The sight of it conjures up many different emotions, awakens the imagination and, literally, takes us on the ride of a lifetime.

Character, a single distinct conceptual unit of language, bursting with multitudes of meaning and innuendo, packing a punch and consistently evolving along the way. Developing, changing, and growing daily, our moral strength and integrity is seasoned by the sheer elements that surround us. It can be as illusive as an 'invisible cloak' wrapping us within its deceptive folds, especially in our youth, yet as strong and spiritual as multicolored banners comprised of Tranquility, Peace, and Love blowing softly in the breeze that gently envelopes us.

We are defined by our character. As a young adult, we can be swept up by the competitiveness and influences of modern technology that tug upon our desire to fit in, be popular, and drive us to succeed in this highly aggressive and 'Me' oriented existence. Welcome to the Fame Culture with its theme of 'selfies' and 'reality programming' setting the daily pace. 

We have turned the camera on ourselves as we shift the selfie stick back and forth in an attempt to capture that perfect shot with our own face in the foreground......life, beauty, nature, often lost, in the background. The epitome of a self-centered existence that is charmed by the acknowledgement of others to the point of instant glory due to the over-exposure of our own presence. Warranted?....., most likely, not. A 'Kardashian' influence highlighted by twenty-nine million Instagram views surrounding us in a fleeting aura of false love and envious adoration. 

Time. It takes time. It requires maturity. In time, many of us will acquire the maturity to expose our selfishness and throw down the gauntlet of challenge by turning the camera around until we come face-to-face with the many characters that comprise this astonishing world we live in. 

We are all characters playing out our specific roles as in books, movies, politics, marriages, parenting, while 'treading the boards' of this vast stage called life! Stage left, stage right, downstage as the spotlight defines our features...our souls, for all to behold during this grand performance with the backdrop neatly painted by our own hands. Dipping the brush into a rainbow of lush colors, our performance is enhanced by each stroke upon the canvas and bright stage lights shine on and reflect the joy we feel. Muted shades of gray reduce the intensity of our contentment; subdue and soften while restraining the sound of color and light.

Strategically, others are allowed into our personal world to share and offer their particular perspective and attitude regarding our character. A description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities flow like molten lava creating a miraculous new landscape from which each co-worker, friend, or neighbor's point of view can formulate and reference our character: Kind, hardworking, capable.....dependable. An employer's dream!

Yet, something inside of us seeks out, even reveres, those of dubious character, umbrageous souls who taunt and disrupt us by offering a life we could only hint at or speculate about before their introduction, possibly, from a book, film, or play. These perfect antagonists allow us to be beautiful or rich, wicked or immoral while gleaning vicarious pleasure from a boxing match of competition and conflict, vigorously cheering on the 'bad guy' while living a mundane existence in the real world. We might marry the trustworthy, kind man, but we secretly admire the dangers surrounding the Bad Boy persona.

Character can be determined by the sugar, spice, and grit that dusts our life with its fine powder coating whether we live on top of a mountain, within a bustling city, or the more laid-back realm of a rural existence. Life is a journey into one's self. What seasonings we choose to use in order to bring zest or interest into our life is strictly up to us. 

Being a kind, loving person can be a major benefit when it comes to strengthening a resourceful, benevolent character.

Love can and should be the greatest foundation or starting point when beginning our long journey. Hopefully, it has been shared and passed down to us by those we are close to and who offer us loving examples to live by. As we travel along the road, building character and stretching our imagination, we should ask ourselves if we have our 'loves' in order. Are we spending our time and energy on our highest love, our values and passion, before the journey into one's self reaches its end?

As time passes, we should learn the importance of humility, sympathy, tranquility, peace, respect, compassion, and Love, above all else......! This is a timeless list that's meant to strengthen our character while placing our lives, our loves, in proper order.

Author's Note: This essay was first published in "Moving On....2016" on January 28, 2016. I believe that today, October 26, 2017, its message is as strong and resolute as when first written, if not more so.   


Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved