“Life is made of ever so many partings welded together.”
The dogs are out in the yard. I haven’t seen them in a while. They do that on the best days.
I like mornings like today’s. The house is still a little chilly from nighttime. My den is dark. It gets afternoon light. When I turn on the light, it brightens every corner of the room. It feels cozy.
We leave people behind every new stage of our lives, but we also keep some with us every step we take. I remember the names of classmates from grammar school, classmates I haven’t seen or heard of since eighth grade. I sometimes wonder where they are, what sorts of lives they led. What happened to the bullies and the bullied?
I see high school friends and classmates around town. We always stop to catch up, to chat a bit, but I wonder. Where are the rest of my high school friends? Are they happy? Are they content with the lives they’ve led? I lost touch with my college friends when I went into the Peace Corps. They moved on with their lives. Some got married. A few died. My two best Peace Corps friends are still with me. We see each other and talk all the time. We even went back to Ghana together. I don’t know where the rest of my Peace Corps friends are, but I know if I see them, we will still be connected. We shared so much.
When I was a kid, the future was tomorrow. When my aunt the nun used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I was stymied. I used to say teacher just to answer the question, but I really had no idea. I was ten. I wish I could go back and tell her I want a world of choices. I want to be an adventurer. I want to live in Africa. I want to work at a job I love. I want to live life to the fullest. That’s what I would tell my aunt the nun.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 12, 2024 at 3:59 pm
Hi Kat,
Today is mostly sunny with some puffy white clouds around. The high temperature will top out at a cool 90°. We have transitioned from the spring season of lines of tremendous thunderstorms to the summer like conditions of a few widely scattered pop up storms in the afternoon. The widespread rain, hail, and tornadoes thankfully will be replaced with heat, humidity, and lots of sunshine. This weekend the forecast is for clear skies and highs in the mid nineties. It’s almost getting hot enough for me to go into my backyard pool. 🙂
I have lost track of almost everyone I knew in elementary, middle, and high school. I have found one high school friend with whom we text. Unfortunately, he’s a right wing Trump supporter and we never discuss politics.
When my relatives asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I knew the answer. I just didn’t know how to get there. I wanted to be an airline pilot, but I instead became a flight instructor and a corporate pilot. I have always loved my jobs.
Now that I’m finally being paid what I always thought I was worth, I am not interested in retirement. I told my boss, I want to be rolled out of here on a gurney, to either the memory care unit of the old folks home, or the mortuary, which ever comes first. 🙂
June 12, 2024 at 6:11 pm
Hi Bob,
We are still in the middle of delightful, wonderful weather. The days are in the low to mid 70’s while the nights are in the low 60’s. We still have no humidity. This is a great time of year here.
I see high school friends all around town. We communicate in Facebook. We are now looking at planning our high school graduation next year. I have a friend I went to grammar school, high school and college with. I have other friends from my drill team days.
I too have always loved my jobs. In Ghana I found out I loved teaching. Later it was time to get out of the classroom into administration. I loved that as well.
I have loved being retired. It will be twenty years this summer.