........not in my 20's anymore..........what happened?

The Holiday is almost over and as the year 2010 rapidly approaches I am forced to think about that walk.........the journey to today. WOW...........how did that happen so quickly? How did I get here?

That is the question I seem to ask myself these days. Twenty Ten! I thought turning 50 was amazing; a number that I never allowed in prior to the day. But 2010 that's a big deal. I was born in the 50's and it was different for sure. We, the five of us, would walk all over the neighborhood anytime of the day. There were not the worries about kids walking off or being snatched as there are today. We had tons of fun growing up in a neighborhood with lots of kids. It seemed almost every family had at least two kids but up to thirteen and five was the average. So, playing kick the can took a long time on a summer evening but no one worried about us being in the dark of night without supervision. I would think of that as I watched my children in the backyard playing. Of course we lived in a country setting and the freedom to romp and play seemed more safe than in the suburbs of a major city.
My husband and I just spent the holiday with our 'adult' children who, actually in their twenties, have lives they have designed for themselves. They are not following traditional paths. They are living lives of "their design". I use that term with my work and have heard people say more than once.............."do you actually say that, use those words?" Watching the two of them I can say "yes, I do", they seem to prove the point. It is amazing to sit back and see that these young people do what works for them not what they think they "should be doing". They approach their lives with confidence and wonder. At least that is the way it looks to me. Things are not always what they appear to be..........right? Maybe the only thing that may appear to be similar to the way we, the parents, live is that the they just don't "go with the flow".
I know that I have written about being happy in my recent posts and I can say one more time............life is good! Christmas was great with everyone home, weather not too harsh. There were no set backs time-wise, no one stranded at an airport or on a highway! Whew! We lucked into that and lots of laughs this year. The struggles of youth were not there between the kids. Not like when I used to go home as a young adult; I would find myself becoming that person I was before going out on my own; always seeking approval, not being able to make choices without a look over my shoulder to see if my parents and sibs approved. WOW, I would think to myself as I watched my children move about in "our" space as independent thinkers. Heck, they re-arranged the furniture to accommodate a tree and a new TV. How do they do that? Does it matter? I am thrilled that they make choices that are different from mine, choices that they alone make. I just have to "stay out of it!" I am sure that both kids and my man would say............that is a challenge for me. I catch myself moving in and then slam, I shut my mouth! At least that is what is going on in my head. They might disagree.
Anyway...............I see myself as a work in progress! And progress it is........moving forward in good ways, slow but sure. Finding more quiet moments to reflect and to agree with the move. I welcome this new year 2010 and embrace the opportunities to fine tune my own life, a life that works for me, my way!

Happy New Year to you all. I wish for you the same things I wish for myself;
Peace, Love, and lots of Laughs!

Live With Intention, Create Beauty, Embrace the Positive, Let the Rest Go

ECH