Yesterday was a day full of caring and laughter between friends. In the course of a day, I was honored by some, a helpmate to a flu survivor, a listening ear for the lovelorn, and Thelma to my Louise. What a super way to spend the last day of my 66th year! I made it count.
Waking up this morning, I am grateful for every single minute that’s brought me to this very day. 67 years ago, with an entire countryside awaiting the birth of a BOY my poor farmer-dad already saddled with three girls, I came into the world. Not the BOY hoped for, certainly not an OTHER, just another little GIRL. Female. Biological Pre-Woman. Pink, feisty, and ready to give any BOY a run for his money.
There would eventually be five of us, with a cousin thrown in for good measure. Country girls with a 16 year spread between the oldest and youngest. My mom raised three separate families in her lifetime. The two older’s, the singlet, and the two younger’s. That’s enough to send any mother running off to the corners of the world on adventure. I’m so glad that in her later years, my mom was able to do that. My dad fulfilled her every dream over their 68 year love affair.
This picture was taken on a summer day at Auntie TJ’s house. The baby on the far left is my cousin, who was my bestie as we grew. I’m in the checked, bibbed overalls. No doubt the older’s were babysitting the littles. Three against three. We had the better odds on that deal, giving them a run for their money.
Throughout the decades, I’ve been blessed with adventures, love, and treasures beyond anything I’ve deserved. I’ve traveled the world by land, sea, and air. I’ve seen enough to know I live in the most amazing country in the world. I’ve shook hands with true heroes and had to find grit and determination when I thought I had run out of both. I’ve loved deeply and lost tragically. The best part of the entire deal is that life is mine to create until my last breath. Just the thought is down-right exhilarating.
After a beautiful day enjoying a little of this and a little of that, I had dinner with my “Louise”. From August to October, Louise and I taught across the hall from each other at a dusty little school house in the center of my dusty little town. Louise spreads light and laughter wherever she goes. Last night was my turn to laugh with her. Over Denny’s burgers she shared the latest eye-popping details of her days at work. I made the correct decision to return to retirement.
After finishing the last bite of our burgers, we went to Dollar Tree to find some bargains. She needed things for her classroom. I needed stocking stuffers for a very special Christmas morning just a week away.
In the middle of a random evening, at a random store, in a random aisle, I ran into the very person that now teaches the students I met with hope and vigor in August. My old class.
A 2022 version of Miss Teacher, her can-do attitude was refreshing. She’ll be the 3rd teacher of the year for this bunch. As she talked about her group, I smiled. The rest of their year will be amazing under her care. While she discussed the names of those that kept me up at night, she has everything dialed in. Those little whipper-snappers don’t have a chance. Their teacher has arrived.
Now, what are the chances that on a random evening, at a random store, in a random aisle, I would run into this lovely and capable teacher with Louise at my side to introduce us? Just what are those odds? Just another miracle allowing me to close that chapter while knowing my little friends are doing well. I made the best personal choices in both August and in October. If you don’t take a chance, you’ll never truly live your life to the fullest. Those eight weeks were an important chapter that had a wonderful beginning, an interesting plot, and and ending that became a poignant reminder of the passing of time. How lucky was I to have enjoyed the experience.
My night ended by conversing with my bestie, CC. She’s my rock. My go-to about anything and everything. No matter the messiness of our lives, we manage to clean things up and tie a bow on any problem life throws our way. We’ve shared the happiest of times and the lowest of lows. No matter how many miles lay between us, we are eternally connected by the deepest of friendships. If you are lucky to have one friend of that quality, you are lucky enough. Here I sit blessed with an abundance of great relationships.
Mysterious Marine has been plotting and planning for this very weekend. December birthdays are a real bother, except for THE December birthday. There are so many better things to celebrate than one old woman living in a dusty little town on a wide spot of the road. He seems to think differently on that one. After suffering through a pretty nasty virus, MM is regaining his strength and plans to delight me with an amazing dinner tonight. I am so very blessed.
Whatever you do today, call your oldest friend to say, “I love you.” If you are close enough, give them a big hug. Friendship is one of the true blessings in life. Cherish an old one. Make a new one. Now get to it, time’s a-wasting.
I’ll be back Monday.