IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF THINGS THAT MEAN THE MOST TO YOU.
The things that matter most are not things. At least not to me.
I have heard it said that when you are on your deathbed, you don’t wish you had spent more time at work. More often it is…I wish I had spent more time with my family.
My friends. My kids. My grandparents.
The “things” that matter most to me are the family and friends I love and care about.
And who love and care about me.
What else matters?
That I am fortunate enough to have a roof over my head and enough food to eat.
Playing music was always front and center in our home.
Whether it be playing a record, a tape or, as years went by, a CD.
But the best playing happened in person.
At the end of one oppressively hot September day in 1988, we huddled around our only air conditioner for an impromptu concert. After a long day of yard work.
The 6 year old playing my old guitar from childhood.
The 10 month old plucking strings on his daddy’s guitar.
And the daddy playing, singing and offering advice on note fingering.
Keeping cool…
This trio played together many times over the years.
Guitar. Flute. Recorder. Clarinet.
Such fun.
Here is my entry for this week’s challenge hosted by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo
…Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?…
(from Signs: by the Five Man Electrical Band…from my high school days…)
Signs often present challenges…
With instructions for what we are supposed to do.
Or…more specifically…what we are not supposed to do.
We can obey them…or not.
After all, we do have a choice…made all the harder when signage deviates from the usual.
Such was the case during a visit to Virginia Beach in 2006. We were looking forward to a few relaxing days to unwind before the 600 mile road trip home. After the stress of leaving our last born to freshman orientation…and indoctrination into the wild untamed life of college in Richmond.
But what was this?
Virginia Beach “Resort Area”
I was startled to note that a large beach town would need such a directive.
Did visitors usually wander around spewing the f-bomb? Describing dog doo doo in loud outside voices?
It was a challenge NOT to shout out an expletive.
Not because I had the urge to.
But because there was this big sign bossing me around…planting the thought…
Posing a challenge.
And then further down the street…
Another set of challenges…for some.
And unfortunately there will be those who rise stoop to the challenge…and harass people and break laws anyway.
However…
Virginia Beach is a large thriving tourist destination.
And “the Resort Area” (ie: main street) is only walking distance from
its public beach…which showcases swimwear of all imaginations.
“…refrain from…wearing revealing attire…?”
Now, THAT’S a challenge.
(We had a lovely time despite the signs. And I only cursed in my mind.)
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF THINGS LIT FROM WITHIN.
One of my favorite Christmas decorations/ornaments is a “lit from within” glass globe featuring an angel inside. A special gift from a special friend a few years ago.
It can either be hung from a tree branch or placed on a flat surface. In our case, this year the flat surface is perfect…since we are not putting up a tree for the first time in over 40 years. Empty nesters that we are, we are flying from the nest to celebrate with our hosting-for-the-holiday adult children.
In the meantime…this Angel will rest on our mantel and continuously spread Christmas cheer with a flick of a switch.
Where am I? These houses all look different. I’ll keep walking. I know the school bus dropped me off at the same place. How could I be…lost? Did I make a mistake? I’ll keep walking…maybe up ahead. But that house is the wrong color.
And it’s up so high.
Oh no what should I do? It’s so hard to walk up this hill. Why won’t my legs move faster? There was never a hill. I don’t know what to do. These are all strangers! Where is my house? Where is my family?
I’m all by myself.
A recurring dream from over 50 years ago…waking me up in the middle of the night. Heart hammering in my chest. Eyes snapping open in the dark. Hands clutching the sheets.
Relieved I was in my own bed…in my room..in my house…my breathing would eventually slow. My eyes closing…
Onlyadream…onlyadream…onlyadream….
Sleep would return to my 7 year old self.
My 8 year old self.
My 9 year old self.
The illusion of safety assured for another night.
This post is inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #26: Titles
(need to select from your own work, enough titles, in the order you created them, to find new meaning)
From the earliest to the latest – a few titles…
spring has sprung…
Memorial Day.
The Whole darn Bunch,
The Biggest Change.
Diaries Revisited – September.
The Day Everything Changed…
Here is my entry for this week’s challenge hosted by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo
The theme this week is: Tranquil
There is just something about the light at the end of day.
Especially in the colder months when dark comes earlier.
When by 4pm the sun is sinking fast.
If I am lucky, any clouds dissipate and there it is…behind the trees.
If I am even luckier, I manage to snap a photo before it is gone.
Although I find much calm and serenity at the ocean, with its waves and sunsets…there is something even more peaceful and tranquil about this bath of warm color. When many trees are bare and allow the last of the sun’s rays to slip through unhindered.
Right out my back window.
It wraps me up and stops me in my tracks.
A most welcome sight.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 