Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thoughts On Thursday

A friend of mine just went to her High School reunion. What she wrote was wise and thoughtful and all heart. I think she nailed it when writing about how most of us are just normal.

 I did not go to my reunions. They were just far enough away for me to make the excuse of too far, don't have time or I just don't want to go. I liked my younger years but when I left those halls, I left for good. (except when I had to go back to get my records when I was transferring schools .. old days here before the net did it for you).

I'm still striving to be what I thought I would be. I guess what I am trying to say is that I was young and naive at seventeen.The hope for the future was bright. I sure didn't want to end up like our parents. I would make something of myself. Even though I did not go back in time to see how many wrinkles those cheerleaders had, I feel like I was there. (I've had several friends who went and told me stories of what so and so looked like.) The same story is told again and again. The ending is the same.

 I am ok. I always was. I just didn't know it at seventeen. I know it now though.

The question I want to ask is ~
What did you want to do ? and
What did you end up actually doing ? and
 Are you happy ?

I wanted to be a history major in college. Thought I would be a lawyer or a history professor. I also wanted to write. Had been telling stories my whole life. Did I do those things ? No, I did not. Went to college and took a terrible history class that made me totally change my ideas on what you want and what you will actually do. I ended up counting checks at a bank. Basically, I ended up trying but failing. I've always ... not always cause that hasn't happened yet ... kind of felt like a failure. Not to anyone else but to myself. I let myself down. I was too naive to realize that what you want and what you get are really ten thousand different things.

Am I happy ? For the most part, yes I am. I find it in the sky, the water, the animals that I love. I find it in the smallest of things. My life has not been easy. I came from nothing (money and social wise)  and fought my way to where I am today.

Did I write that great novel ? No, I did not but I do think a lot of great ideas. I am still trying to do what that young girl wanted. It just got put to the side with life and the times I was having. The old life got in the way theory.

So, I'm kind of glad that I did not go back to a reunion. Those years and those memories will remain intact like they are frozen in time. No wrinkles to ruin them. Just youthful dreams.

~ JC ~

9 comments:

Kea said...

My mom used to tell me, as a child, that "we mock the things we are to become." And as I mocked my parents, so now I become like them.

You couldn't pay me to go to a school reunion. Any school reunion. NOT happy years. Even now, if I have to step into a school (usually only for voting, as I did yesterday), my skin crawls and I get the heebee jeebees. Decades later.

I wanted to work with horses. I had a VERY naive and nebulous idea of what life would be like and it certainly wasn't anything I've actually experienced. But it's a very good thing I couldn't see those challenges when I was young, or I might not have had the inner strength to put one foot in front of the other and keep on going.

Excellent post, deep thoughts indeed.

Brian's Home Blog said...

Well, we think you turned out purrfectly!

janis said...

Oh JC! I love this! So true!
go here: http://loritimesfive.blogspot.com/2009/05/counting-down.html
to follow my friend Lori's instructions on making little hearts when typing ♥ I would try to explain but then you'd miss her wonderful blog!
Love to you!
Oh yeah! BTW~I just read the greatest little story from Jorge Garcia ( LOST) and his wife going to meet a little chihuahua they were adopting from Petfinders.com & ended up adopting her little "runt" sister too. so freakin' cute! I love reading about people (especially people w/ money & clout) adopting from the shelters & rescues instead of Breeders. It was sooo adorable! He is HUGE & the pups are so tiny!

Dog Trot Farm said...

I have never had a desire to attend a high school reunion. I am grateful for the life God gave me and some days I admit I "muttle" through. I take one day at a time, and count my blessings. Yes, there have been disappointments, but I try not to dwell on them. A very thought provoking post.

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

love love love all your animal rescue...

you are an angel

and YES!!! teddy is so much FUN!!!!

kary and teddy
xxx

Jacqueline said...

I went to my 10 year reunion and a few years ago, to my 25 year reunion; the women looked great and the men had really aged!...I was lost in my youth and married young for 13 years; after my divorce 10 years ago, I finally found myself and yes, I am happy...Not doing anything important as a career, but like you, find happiness in the simple things of life...I can not have children, but my kitties are my babies and they fill my heart with joy that nothing else ever has...I am a cancer survivor as well, so I am thankful for my health=always afraid of my checkups...I choose to be happy everyday and appreciate my babies and my parents for the love they bring into my life...Maybe one day I will meet another man to love, but for now, my life is enough...Hope you have a great weekend, JC.

Vicki said...

This is a great post. I went to my 20 year school reunion and wish I hadn't as everyone was trying too hard when all I wanted to hear was what made them happy....

Olivia said...

Very nicely done here.. Loved it for its honesty.. xx

Judy said...

No one has ever contacted me about a school reunion, and I am no longer in touch with anyone I went to high school with. I was suicidal for most of those years, so there is little for me to go back for. Maybe I could contact some of the people, individually...

And I am nowhere near where I expected to be. The dream of being married 50 years like my grandparents never worked out. But I think I am a lot happier now than if I had remained on that path, so many years ago...

There comes a time in your life when you walk away from all of the drama and the people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right and pray for those who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of life, getting back up is living.

~ Jose N. Harris

Characters In My Garden

Purr Gang ~ My five cats

Cats ~ Al, Ashton Rosevelt, Jasmine Marie, Riley Andrew & Meredith Ann

Fur Gang ~ Jodie Isabella and Sally Jean
(The Original member, Sweet Bella is in memory only now. Maddy Jean, another original member, past away in August of 2014)

Mr. Boatman ~ my husband who likes boats

DD ~ my daughter who graduated and is now out living in the real world

DS or Dson ~ my son is studying computer science and math



Maddy Jean & Bella

Maddy Jean & Bella
Both gone but never forgotten

Jodie Isabella

Jodie Isabella

Al

Al
I adopted him from our local Humane Society

Ashton

Ashton
Adopted from my local horse supply store

Jasmine

Jasmine
I adopted her from Purrfect Pals

Riley

Riley
I adopted him from the local Humane Society

Meredith Ann

Meredith Ann
I adopted her from Purrfect Pals