CHANGES

LIFE  NEVER TURNS OUT THE WAY WE PLAN.

THIS FACT WAS REINFORCED IN A RECENT CONVERSATION WITH A LIFE-LONG FRIEND.

THIS FRIEND AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE WE WERE FIVE AND ATTENDED ALL 13 YEARS OF SCHOOL TOGETHER IN A SMALL TIMBER TOWN -POPULATION-1,500.
BOTH OF OUR FATHERS TAUGHT AND COACHED AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND BOTH OF OUR MOTHERS WORKED IN DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. WE BOTH  HAD BIG BROTHERS AND WE DANCED TOGETHER FOR OVER 12 YEARS.
SHE STOOD WITH ME AS I SAID MY WEDDING VOWS.
THE RARE KIND OF  FRIEND THAT CAN  SAY 'I KNEW YOU WHEN.....'  AND CAN REMIND YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE WHEN LIFE HAS A TENDENCY TO BLUR THE IMAGE.

HOW DID  THIS HAPPEN !?!............I ASKED RECENTLY.
I WAS THE ONE THAT HAD DECIDED TO GET MARRIED 8 MOS. OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND ESTABLISH MY HOME AND YOUNG, GROWING FAMILY AS CLOSE TO "HOME" AS POSSIBLE. SHE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS OFF TO COLLEGE AND AFTER GRADUATION ? ... ON TO WHATEVER ADVENTURES LIFE HAD TO OFFER.
35 YEARS LATER, I AM THE ONE WHO HAS LIVED IN 9 DIFFERENT PLACES.....INCLUDING HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD.
SINCE THE MID-80'S, SHE HAS LIVED ONLY MILES FROM OUR CHILDHOOD HOME,  RAISING AND EDUCATING HER 4 CHILDREN HERSELF WITH THE HELP AND SUPPORT A GREAT HUSBAND... A GUY WE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH.
WHO'D A THUNK IT !?!

OH, I HAD MY SHARE OF ADVENTURES BEFORE I GOT MARRIED. MY FAMILY FOSTERED SUCH THINGS.
MY BROTHER SPENT HIS JR. YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA. MY SISTER SPENT HERS IN TASMANIA. I TURNED DOWN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A YEAR IN JAPAN AND INSTEAD I DANCED SEMI-PROFESSIONALLY MY JR. AND SR. YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL.    CRAZY, FUN,  EXCITING TIMES----ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE LOVE, SUPPORT, AND TRUST OF PARENTS THAT GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO SPEND WEEK-ENDS AND A GOOD PART OF EACH WEEK IN THE BIG CITY--- REHEARSING, PERFORMING AND PLAYING IN THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE 'STAGE'.

SINCE THEN, I HAVE LIVED THREE LIVES THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD GIVE ONE FOR.
I'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF RAISING 3 CHILDREN AS A STAY-AT-HOME MOM AT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I WAS YOUNG, ENERGETIC AND BLISSFULLY NAIVE.  WE ALL GREW UP TOGETHER.
I'VE LIVED AND TRAVELED  THE CORPORATE LIFE STYLE  LONG ENOUGH TO BE PUBLISHED AND AWARDED  MAJOR AWARDS AND THE RECOGNITION OF MY INDUSTRY.
AND I HAVE LIVED ABROAD FOR 5 YEARS.

OUR LAST MOVE WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE 2ND SINCE RETURNING TO THE U.S.
STILL WITHIN THE SAME STATE BUT CLOSER TO FAMILY.
IT HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS.   FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR LIVES, THESE TWO COUNTRY KIDS, RAISED IN SMALL TIMBER TOWNS, NOW LIVE IN A CITY . A SMALL CITY OF SORTS, BUT A CITY NONE THE LESS.
GETTING USED TO SEEING PEOPLE  EVERY TIME WE STEP OUTSIDE, SECURITY FENCES AND STREET LIGHTS THAT HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE DARK PEACE AND QUIET THAT SHOULD BE FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
OUR COCKER SPANIEL NO LONGER HAS 10 ACRES TO ROAM AND MUST NOW FIND A SMALL FRONT AND BACK YARD AN ACCEPTABLE PLACE TO CHASE BALLS AND DO HER 'DOGLY' DUTY.
WITH TIME AND HARD WORK, IT HAS BECOME HOME. COMPLETE WITH NEIGHBORS WE CALL FRIENDS AND THE SOUNDS OF TRAINS, TRAFFIC, AND SIRENS ALL JUST PART OF THE 'BACKGROUND' OF OUR LIVES.............................UNTIL JAN, 2ND- 2012.
AS A RESULT OF CHANGES IN HIS JOB, MY HUSBANDS  IS NOW LIVING IN L.A. ALMOST HALF OF HIS LIFE........AND MINE.
35 YEARS OF MARRIAGE AND I NOW LIVE ON MY OWN FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS OUT OF EVERY MONTH.

CHANGE ............. ONE OF THE ONLY CONSTANTS OF LIFE.
      _____________________________________________________________________


THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN LAST SPRING.  A " VICTORY LAP" OF SORTS AFTER THE GRUELING PROCESS OF 'SETTLING IN'.

IT'S EARLY MORN, I JUST WOKE UP.

TIME: 3  A.M. AND MORE.

MY PUP HAS HAD HER MORNING FEAST,

MY MAN HAS CEASED TO SNORE.

I'M SITTING IN THE BIG, BROWN CHAIR,

COFFEE NOT YET STARTED.

IT'S QUIET STILL,THE AIR IS COOL,

DAY 'BOUT TO BE IMPARTED.

WITH ALL THE THINGS A NEW DAY BRINGS,

IT'S BUSINESS AND STRIFE-

BILLS TO PAY AND CHORES TO DO...

A PRETTY SIMPLE LIFE.

BUT PEN AND PAPER BECKON ME,

WITH FINGER CURLED THEY CALL

TO PLACE THE WORDS THAT FILL MY HEAD,

NOW EASY TO RECALL.

MY LAURALI HAS JUST JOINED ME.

THIS DOG OF NOBLE DEED.

SHE JUST CURLS UP AND SIGHS A BIT,

CHIN RESTING ON MY FEET.

I HEAR THE POT, NOW BUBBLING,

PREPARING DAYS FIRST BREW.

IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE MY MAN

BEGINS HIS NEW DAY, TOO.

I  MUST ATTEND MY CANINE CHARGE-

PRESENTING URGENT NEED.

SHE PAWS HER NOSE AND SNORTS A BIT,

AS IF A NOBLE STEED.

I WILLINGLY CHECK HER EYES,

MY ATTENTION THEY REQUIRE.

SO I ATTEND, LIKE LOYAL PAGE,

ATTENDS TO WILLING SQUIRE.

I AM HER SLAVE, THOUGH WILLINGLY,

MY SERVICES DISCHARGE.

MY "PAWS" HAVE THUMBS - HERS DO NOT,

MINE ON HUMAN ARMS.

NOW ALL IS WELL, MY MAN IS UP.

I'M MET WITH BRISTLY KISS.

HE UNDERSTANDS, ( I THINK HE DOES)

MY NEED TO SCRIBBLE THIS.

HE PULLS ON SWEATS, HIS GLASSES FOUND-

ALL PLACED THE NIGHT BEFORE.

(WE ALL HAVE OUR FUNNY WAYS)

HE LEAVES THROUGH KITCHEN DOOR.

BUT NOT BEFORE HE DRAWS A CUP

OF FRESH DRIPPED COFFEE DEW

POURED IN HIS CUP I'VE PLACED NEARBY-

DOING WHAT I DO.

THIS MORNING DANCE, I'VE LEARNED TO LOVE-

THOUGH DIFFICULT AT TIMES......

BUT WITH SIMPLE LIVES, LIKE SIMPLE WORDS

-IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME

TO TAKE THEM ALL, AND LOVINGLY........

MAKE A SIMPLE RHYME.

THE MUSIC HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO CHANGE.

AS THE DYED IN THE WOOL "HOOFER" THAT I AM, I 'SPOSE THE ONLY LOGICAL THING TO DO IS REACH INTO MY DANCE BAG AND CHANGE INTO THE APPROPRIATE SHOES.

SHALL WE DANCE ?

G.H.M