Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Refflections on Life

Reflections on Life
 

My husband turned sixty-five today. A milestone in his life, a shock to both of us. Just yesterday we were teenagers standing in front of the judge in Elkton, Marlyland, having eloped in a misguided atttempt to avoid family problems. At eighteen, I was pregnant with our first child, just graduated from High Schoool when news of our elopement would have caused me to be expelled.

By the time I was twenty-one, him twenty-three, we had four children, a new car , and owned our first home. Most of our friends were just graduating from college. By the time I was thirty, our brood had grown to six children and a wide assortment of animal life. Some were wanted, others were intruders.
We travelled the road through life with expectations, not always granted, but always anticipated. Our children were our life and as they grew to adulthood, another phase entered our lives. Grandchildren. The reward for the perilous job of raising their parents. How cool it was to give advice to our kids on how to raise theirs, based on our own mistakes –a “what not to do’ list. How nice to get a full night’s sleep with no crying babies, no night terrors from toddlers, no late night vigils waitng for teens to return safely.
At sixty-five, him, not me, we can enjoy a life of our own. We can sleep late, although he never does, but I am a night owl and love writing into the wee small hours of the morning. He is often rising soon after I have gone to sleep. How nice to have these choices.
This year is one to reflect upon, remembering the years gone by, bittersweet with losses, good times and bad, health crises, fears and hopes sometimes dashed. What dreams we shared in our youth! How outspoken we were on issues of politics and the world at large. We were the children of the sixties and we were going to change the world. Maybe we did just a bit; maybe not.
Life flows like a river from its source to its destination. Married for so many years has made us comfortable in own own skins, a good feeling. The tribulations of past years no longer matter. We have come to a time of understanding just a bit of what life is all about, although it was always there before us. The lessons were hard, joyous, terrifying, exciting, instructive; and in the end so apparent. Life is simply all about love.

11 comments:

  1. What a moving piece Micki. You are so right, life is simply about love. Happy birthday to Husband Peluso.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent piece, Micki. I really enjoyed reading it.
    Love,
    Joy

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a nice and relaxing read, Micki. I am happy that you and Butch have so many years to look back on, and to share the trials and joys with us. Thank you again! Hugs, Deirdre

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is an extraordinary blog, Micki. I love it as I love all your emotional articles. Definitely the best sentence I've read in quite a long time: "Life is simply all about love."
    Thank you for sharing, Micki!
    And say "Happy Birthday" from me to Mr. Micki. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. So beautiful and wonderful to be able to grow old together after having shared so many memories and, as they say, "The best is yet to come!" Happy Belated BD to Butch!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks, my friends,
    I appreciate the time you take to read my blog and comment.

    Hugs, Micki

    ReplyDelete
  7. Send my birthday greetings to Butch! I turned 65 this year too, but I don't feel that old. I hope the same holds true for him.
    By the way, I had to laugh when I read "others were intruders." I assume you're referring to the animals and NOT the children! (Just kidding.)
    By the way, your blog followers might want to know that AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG is featured on my blog for Book Beginnings/Friday 56. I hope they'll stop by and say "hi." Here's the link: http://iousex.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well now, I am not so old after all. 67 to be exact and now I know that I am in good company - the best to be sure. Great story Micki and a beautiful precis of your life. Happy belated birthday to Butch. New glasses in about a week and then back to reading. An eyepatch on my left eye enables me to work on the computer for awhile at a time so glad I am able to stop by and chat with you all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, Sandy!! I saw your post tonight and was trying to think of places to send it but everyone I know has my book--I've locked myself into a corner!! I did putit on scoop.it and facebook and my fan page so maybe that will help somewhat. It really looks good!! It's a shame there's noplace to comment. Thanks again for checking this blog out.

    Linda,
    I feel so bad for your eye problem--it's been going on so long now, it would be driving me nuts. Oddly, my close up vision improved greatly which is nice but none of my glasses work and while I don't need them much, I can't quite see the PC or books well without a little help. It's always something!

    Hugs to you both!

    Micki

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi,
    I love this article and as I begin to read it, I too reminsced over the things you mentioned. No, life was not easy and many times it was not fair for the both of you, but you two have been hanging in there, learning from each other, and you both have found out what life is all about. That is why your last line says it all, Micki. Life is about loving. That last sentence touched my heart.
    Thanks for being a beacon in my life.
    I love you Micki.
    Ciao,
    Patricia

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Pat, I just love it when you visit my blog because I know I'm going to hear not just praise(undeserved) but your own special brand of wisdom!! Thank you.

    Love, Mikcii

    ReplyDelete