Less than thirty seconds into this thing called life we get smacked on the ass and dressed for success. We can’t do a single thing for ourselves yet, but when you consider all of the learning that takes place in our first year, it is quite remarkable how quickly we manage to establish ourselves as the center of the universe. We become mobile within a few short months and soak up knowledge like a sponge. We discover that we thrive on interaction, all the while becoming progressively independent. By the time we have been on the planet a mere decade we are consumers of all things within our grasp.
We enter our teens knowing everything there is to know. Suddenly, a bizarre phenomenon which no one understands fills us beyond capacity with emotion and our sponge gets all wrung out from the squeezing and twisting that occurs when we discover the world does not revolve around us after all. For the next decade we become absurd caricatures of our former remarkable selves. Still growing and learning, but opposing the forces all around us. Then adulthood thrashes us around a bit trying to knock some sense into us. Those of us who are not one of the perfects spend the better part of a decade or two or three finding our way back to the place where it all began. You know, naked, screaming at the top of our lungs for no apparent reason.
What we wish and dream and hope for changes with every passing year. The pendulum swings. Wildly some days, barely perceptible others, but often it seems to me that I stay somewhere between baffled and omniscient. Motherhood has taught me to be prepared. Marriage has taught me to appreciate the little things. Living has taught me everything is temporary. Regular readers know I just celebrated a birthday. My loyal follower honored me with a guest post so sweet that it gave me a toothache. I love him for many reasons, not the least of which is his ability to make me appear to be a better person than I really am. My cranky, impatient, stubborn, damaged side gets turned toward the wall.
That is, until push comes to shove.
Thanks to everyone for the happy birthday wishes. Your comments really do make my day. I am taking the remainder of the summer to toil in the garden and sweat over the keyboard. Or maybe that is to sweat in the garden and toil over the keyboard. While HonieBriggs.com is out to lunch, check out the summer reruns hyper-linked in this post and feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
See you in September.
just saying hello there and hope all is going well…audra
I’m right there beside you… “somewhere between baffled and omniscient!”
Sweating and toiling over garden and keyboard–sounds like a perfect summer!
Hi Lisa. It’s sounded like a perfect plan to me. Hope you too have a perfect summer.
Beautiful post, Honie. You captured the essense of this roller-coaster ride we call life very eloquently.
Well, thank you Russell. It is a roller-coaster ride. There’s no other way to describe it. Thanks for commenting. See you around the FF playground. I may not be contributing, but I will be reading.
Now if only we had the perspective of the decades ahead when we were much younger. The circle of life and seasons keep turning. With the summer off we will all be expecting great things in the fall!
No doubt, Lyle. I will endeavor to meet expectations. 🙂 I hope your summer is enjoyable.
That’s the nice thing about reruns: if you haven’t seen them when they originally ran, they’re new to you. Have a great summer!
You too, Mr. Petruska. I’ll be checking in with you. Mark my words. Ha!
Lovely post. Look forward to the result of your labour.
As do I. You can be certain I will tell all about it upon my return.
Oh your posts will be missed. But I hope you enjoy the break. We all need it sometimes. I’m already perusing some of the links now.
Hope you enjoy the reruns. Thanks for reading.
you have a lovely way with words–I really enjoyed this post–have a happy summer and I think you deserved all the sweet accolades your loyal follower cast on you
LouAnn, you are very kind. Have a happy gluten-free summer. I’ll be interested to read your report.
Have a spectacular and productive summer in the garden and over the keyboard. See you in the Fall.
Yes ma’am, you will see be seeing me. Thanks so much, Val.
“What we wish and dream and hope for changes with every passing year.”—Isn’t that the truth? Maybe that’s nature’s way of ensuring we never run out of dreams.
Have a great rest of your summer, Honie. You deserve some downtime. I hope you get it!
Thanks, Carrie. I hope I have something to show for my “downtime” and like you, I will most likely be checking in on my blogging faves.