Jan 19, 2014

Faces of our Childhoods

As we sit viewing the setting sun, nostalgic stories begin to trickle through our  minds. Memories of childhood, thoughts of loved ones back home, inklings of new borns arriving soon, flashes of those we love (both dead and alive).
The beach exposes us to raw emotions and thoughts of our life upon this planet we call home. Young children romped in the afternoon sun. One little girl in particular ran with total bliss, ponytail bobbing, her two year old legs scampering towards the birds, the ocean foam, and the thought of dipping her toes in the waves. Her father, a giant of a man, lumbered behind her slowly knowing he would catch her if she fell. I thought of my own gleeful childhood, playing in the sun till night set in and/or mom hollered for us to come eat. The air, the blue skies, the animals that surrounded us as we grew. As we look back now, listening to our siblings share stories about their lives (that we shared with them) we realize our stories are often times vastly different but as interesting as one another... we share a story, a legacy, a raising from our parents. We were (and are) quite fond of one another and yet so vastly different even today.
Is this not what we all reach for, eclipse to be, different but yet accepting of our differences? What a wonder to hear my brothers versions of childhood, to think about the love for a mother and father through different lenses.
As we ate a marvelous meal of fresh fish, calamari, amazing wine, followed by key lime pie...ahhh, we listened to Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra sing the same songs but in total different versions. Both were amazing singers who touched our lives.
What a joy to know we are all singing our own songs to our own tunes. To think our next generation will be singing our stories and reveling in those stories from several different versions..
It is good to be alive
To our loved ones who are getting through illnesses or tough times, we (I) love you, in many different ways.
Annie