Change: Growing Up & Flying The Coop

“The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.” Alden Nowlan

Change: Growing Up & Flying The Coop

 Soon, by the end of the summer, my babies will pack their bags and head for college; entering a new phase of their lives. It seems like only last week when they were little tykes in diapers, maneuvering their way around our home, learning about the world and curious about all in it. Before we knew it, they were in pre-school, then kindergarten, followed by 11 years of rigorous academic training, culminating in their HS diploma which they received in June. Change, as we all know it, is inevitable, yet, as I stood in awe at graduation, I couldn’t believe that this day had finally arrived. I had to pinch myself to recognize that, like every other parent there, our little ones had crossed a bridge; they were growing up and flying the coop. This week, we have The Prompt:  A moment you realized your child was growing up via MamaKat’s Writers Workshop.

 As I looked around at the graduating class, there were the kids I knew from way back when I was heavily involved, with many of their moms, in the PTSA. There were kids who were my wards during our brief foray into the Girls Scouts. There were kids I chaperoned on school trips or picnics. The shy mousy girls had blossomed into teenage divas, and the tow headed little boys were now tall and confident Adonis’ with big dreams in their hearts. My two have grown and join their classmates eager to explore the world and learn new things. Where, oh where did the time go?   I say  this in awe of the speed with which Mother Time propels us forward to meet new days, make changes great and small, and add our lot to the whole; destined or not.  How has it been for you?
PS*** Stacey of Survey Junkie Blog has generously added me as a Guest Host for this week's Follow Me Back Tuesday Blog Hop. Please join in and spread the love! Many Thanks Stacey! :-) More on blog hop and link-up below :-)

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures…

“Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you.” Marsha Norman

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures…Into the Unknown

 Do you remember the dreams of your teenage years?  How do they compare to the present? When I was a teenager, young and starry eyed, I had a vivid imagination with enough energy and curiosity to move two trucks filled with stuff.  Like every teenager out there, we imagined we were invincible and would conquer the world with a wink and word.  I looked forward to when I could explore the world and follow through on the many adventures I had dreamt about. My friends believed the same thing... We turned 18, finished one small phase of our lives and headed in many directions; some great and some not so bad.  What was your dream? 

This week, one of Mamakat's Writer's Workshop prompt asks what our big dream was at 18.  For me, I wanted to see the world, to master the unknown and become an accomplished author. My initial outlet was creative; I wrote poetry and prose, watched movies and musicals; placing myself front and center in a world of actors, dancers and writers. I wanted to understand the universe in a way my Catholic upbringing did not teach me. I wanted to visit exotic realms and universes in ways my exploration of yoga did.

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures… The Traveler

 One thing I always imagined doing at 18 and found easy to do was travel... and so over the years I traveled a lot; parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and I got to understand what interests me and what bores me to tears. I found a love for other cultures which helped me a lot on my travels and I got to learn about the history of places, the cuisine, and take lots of pictures. What I did not anticipate was my move to the USA and how that would re-write my dreams.

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

"A Woman's guess is much more accurate than a Man's certainty." Rudyard Kipling

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

Being a mom is a huge responsibility and a role that one can never retire from. No matter our age or accomplishments, we are still little kids to our moms and we view our children through the same lens. Each Mother's Day, I find myself not only reminded of the gift of life and the many ways my mother and all the women who played that role in my life nurtured me, but I am also reminded of my father's death during the early month of May; several years ago...  It is, perhaps, the universe's way of helping me appreciate my parents and their investment in my life. So, Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom and to all moms!

ღ˚ •。* ♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。* °♥ ˚ • ★ *˚ .ღ 。*˛˚ღ •˚ ˚… May your day be sprinkledღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ with Love ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ Happy Mother’s Day! ˚ ✰* ★ ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥

I love the picture above because it reminds me of how moms manage with several children in their arms and at their feet. My mom had five children so that fits the picture too. We were close in age and  spent time playing games, terrorizing each other or indulging in childhood pranks; our Mom played judge and jury... My dad worked long hours and was not up for the he said/she said stories, so Mom meted out her brand of justice and joy.  It's an interesting fact because some of my childhood friends would hear the refrain "wait till your dad gets home" while we heard, "wait till I get to you" - quite funny! Through it all, we had many memories of my Mom in her gardens planting new seeds, in her chicken coop tending to her hens or otherwise entering all kinds of singing contests.  :-)

Beauty: The Joys of Spring

"I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden." Ruth Stout

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Red blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Pink bleeding hearts

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - White blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Squirrel

Spring is one of my favorite seasons of the year. After months of freezing cold, mounds of snow, gray weather and hibernation, one can feel the earth stir as the warm air and sunny days prod us all; slowly, birds and blossoms find their way back to my side of the earth.

Last winter was particularly brutal, as we had many snowstorms, and blankets of white covered everything for miles and days. To dig ourselves up and out of the lull of winter has not been easy, however, the early blooms of spring and the chirping songs of friendly birds have helped.

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peterson

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Red & Yellow Tulips

 

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Ducks on the Hudson

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Magnolia blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Daffodils

Spring by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Now fades the last long streak of snow,
Now burgeons every maze of quick
About the flowering squares, and thick
By ashen roots the violets blow.

Now rings the woodland loud and long,
The distance takes a lovelier hue,
And drowned in yonder living blue
The lark becomes a sightless song... Contd below

When I read Mamakat’s Photo Story Prompt: Take a walk through your neighborhood this week and share some pictures of what Spring looks like where you live, I sighed deeply. Spring's blossoms have been generously abundant this year so I am happy to share. Above and below, I have added photographs of the flora and fauna, the blooms and lifeforms in my garden and my neighborhood. I have also shared a beautiful poem Spring by Lord Alfred Tennyson for your enjoyment. Come, walk with me... May your Spring be as colorful. More colorful blooms below...

On Life: Letting Go of The Bag & Baggage...

 “Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.” Charles Dudley Warner 

Model with Huge shoulder bag

I've always loved bags, in all shapes and sizes, and at different periods in my life, the size of my bag determined the weight of my burdens. In my college days, my big satchel book bag symbolized my courses and all the work that came with them. By the time my children came along, only a huge tote for diapers and kiddie things would do, and that carried over into my work life as I added travel totes with wheels and computer/projector holders to the mix. In recent months, I've been inclined to reconsider my attachment to the handbag; a carrying sac that is known by dozens of names.

Do you always carry a handbag? Have you tried not carrying one? Mamakat's Writer's Workshop offered a question that got me thinking about our handbags: What do the contents of your handbag/purse "say" about you? 

My typical bag had my wallet, change purse, makeup, candy, letters, books, ipod, hair ornaments and whatever else crossed my path. This would of course vary when I added work, a special outing, or child related travel to my baggage. One thing that always stood out was that the bigger the bag, the greater the stuff tossed in it. With each additional item, we added more of our history and worries to our bags; our clutch slowly becoming a crutch that we used to clubber ourselves and others. Why carry so much? I believe that we could all benefit and gain some freedom from our baggage by de-cluttering our bag/baggage lives. What do you think?

Don't Let Me Hit You With My PocketBook - By Jennifer Hudson 
More Music? Check out the Monday's Music Moves Me BlogHop

At one point in my life, I could count at least three work related bags that followed me everywhere; of course,  the endless attention one had to pay to each bag to ensure its departure and arrival was hilarious. Each bag I owned had a history; a price, location, and the emotional tie that prompted the purchase. Sometimes, I wondered why women always seemed burdened with these cumbersome, albeit gorgeous, pieces of shoulder and hand held jewelry. Whenever I observed men in motion, especially during my work travel days, I would marvel at their effortless way of entering and exiting a plane without looking for this bag or that, and I imagined what it would feel like to move around without a handbag.