Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Thursday 3/18/10 - "SWEET REMEMBERING - PART 1"

"SWEET REMEMBERING"

I'm thinking about the patterns of my life and the rich variety of experiences that make up the "me" I have become. I have many wonderful memories, many painful ones, and lots in between. It has taken most of my life, but today I love the "me" I am and it took every experience I have had to bring me to this place.

I remember my childhood in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. There are so many memories of a childhood filled with play. I was such a sensitive child and emotionally I became very twisted inside, but I believe the fantasy and play life I led with my neighborhood friends provided a little balance to that pain. It provided escape. We ran in packs around our block playing hide-and-seek, spinning ourselves around til we fell down dizzy, catching fireflies at dusk, climbing trees to live in imaginary tree houses or in the fall to jump into piles of leaves below.

When I was a little older we explored a deserted mansion in the area weaving make believe stories of the people who had lived there. Two sisters and I put on a play for our families in my living room, "Little Women". It has been so long I don't remember what part I played, but I still have a picture of us with our shawls around our shoulders and our parents, our audience, sitting around the edges of the big room.

I remember my first bicycle with training wheels and how proud I was the day those wheels came off and I remained upright on that bike. It became my horse and I the cowgirl in her cowgirl outfit rode that horse everywhere. I was equipped with saddlebags to carry my most special things, a water container, and my rifle. My horse bike and I explored a broader world together.

Mixed up thoughts and feelings grew in me as I grew older, but God was good and sweet memories continued in spite of myself. I will sit with these memories for now, savor them, and save some for a later post.

I am feeling very nostalgic and I am allowing the sweetness, the goodness of those memories to lift my soul.

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Autumn's Child by Pinktutu@deviantart.com)

12 comments:

Brian Miller said...

some wonderful memories...it is good to ruminate the good ones...

on a side note i will be speaking in Westminster/Reisterstown, MD this weekend...

Syd said...

I understand those memories. I have them too. Interesting that you grew up in Silver Spring. I get there quite often to the NOAA buildings.

Wanda's Wings said...

Such sweet memories.

Kathy M. said...

How lovely. Thanks for sharing. I also played at being a cowgirl and rode my bike everywhere. Such sweet memories. Thanks for taking me back there.

Andrea said...

Beautiful memories! Praising GOD with you, andrea

Unknown said...

This is gorgeous and amazing. Thank you for sharing your memories with us and allowing usa peek into you life...a true honor.

Anonymous said...

Nice memories. Thanks for sharing them. Have a good one!

Unknown said...

Happy childhood memories are so precious.
Here from Steve's blog.

Keep the FUNNIES in your weekends!

hugs
shakira
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Sherry said...

Thanks for sharing - those are sweet memories! Have a great weekend!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

Kindred spirits find each other all the time. I love this experience you share because that's the spirit I know, it's like when we all share stories like this we recognize that same Awesome Spirit that dwells in us and among us.

Beautiful and sweet!

Unknown said...

I use to sit down in the middle of clover and make a crown of the flowers, tying the stems into knots. I am going to do that again when they bloom. I might not be able to get up gracefully off the ground but I'm going to try. Thanks for stirring a childhood memory for me. Awesome.

♥namaste♥

Anonymous said...

I know that part of Maryland, have relatives there. I am always impressed by the evidence of patriotism and pride in America when I visit there.

Secretia