I've lived through 5+ decades (yikes!) A lot happens in the span of a decade: Good times, bad times, births, deaths, work, money, no money - all the stuff of life. Our world is in such flux, and I am feeling less and less significant as I get older. Not a bad thing, just a thing. I think the Earth is getting tired of our human shenanigans, and might be ready to shake us off, kindof like a dog does when it gets too wet. Anyway, I hope the next generations will take better care with their time on this planet that ours did. My focus for the rest of the decades of my life, will be just that. Earth friendly mindfulness.
I thought, today, about my past decades, the good, the not so good - trying to learn and be ever evolving. I chose to end my rumination on the happiest memories of that old time. Of course there are many, but here is a list of my top happiest memory of that decade (that I can remember at this moment, anyway - I am fortunate, there are SO many!)
Decade 1 (1965-1975) - My brother Pete teaching me that I didn't have to be afraid of the deep end of the pool. I remember putting my hands around his neck, riding on his back as he dove and swam along the bottom of the deep end. It felt so scary and wonderful all at the same time to my 7 year old self. I remember us laughing afterward, as we held on to the diving board while treading water. On the way back, I swam on my own along the bottom of the deep end, with my brother by side, back to the shallow end.
Decade 2 (1975-1985) - This decade was a tumultuous one. We moved from the city to the country, we had multiple immediate family deaths, including my brother Pete. New schools, puberty, discovering boys, body insecurities - so one stand out happy memory is a little challenging. I would have to say my happiest moments during that decade were with my best friend for most of that decade, Krista. We had tons of fun, and we laughed a lot together. I must've been 8 or 9 when I had my first sleep over at her place. I remember she had a this reading nook with a mattress and pillows and a bunch of posters and drawings and stuff in her room. There was this character drawing of Elvis Presley, as a stalk of parsley, titled Smelvis Parsley. I found it hilarious and could not stop laughing! I kept rolling over in laughter saying "Smelvis Parsley!", and we both started laughing uncontrollably - one of our first (of many to follow!) friend bonding, laughing until it hurts, moments. Such silly little girls...It makes me laugh out loud right now, thinking about it.
Decade 3 (1985-1995) - Seeing the band L7 live at the Whiskey a Go Go was a life altering experience. It was my first "punk rock" show - and I had no idea what I was in for. I went to the show by myself on a whim, maybe the second month or so after I moved to Los Angeles. I was in the front row, the lights went down, the announcer said "...L7!" The coolest looking women I had ever seen came out and threw a bunch of plastic barrettes into the crowd, yelling "let's rock!!" and getting everyone super excited. Donita Sparks grabbed me by the face, took a clump of my hair, put a barrette in it, and gave me a big smile. She jumped over to the microphone, grabbed her guitar, and she and the rest of the band blew my face off. The sound was loud, and big, and I felt it!! I found a big, big love for live music that night.
Decade 4 (1995-2005) - Tokyo Japan during Sakura. Walking around the park outside of the Imperial Palace with the cherry trees in full bloom. SO much beauty. The colors were sharp. Pink petals, white petals, super blue sky, perfectly green grass. It smelled wonderful, everyone was happy sitting under the trees soaking all that beauty in. There were people rowing boats in the mote leaving swirling ripples of cherry blossom petals in their wake. Perfect happy serenity.
Decade 5 (2005-2015) - The reason for the blog! Three months of traveling the UK and Italy. Many wonderful memories - but the happiest: See Monday, May 17th post "Whelans"
Decade 6 - (2015- well, not there quite yet...we will have to see how it shapes up)
