My Most Memorable 4th

It was 1996, and the trip of a lifetime. Early on the morning of the 4th, I hopped a plane to Dulles Airport. When I arrived, I rented a car and made my way toward Washington DC. Unsure of myself, where I was going, or what I would find, I parked the car and made my way to a Metro station, little muni trains to take me to The Mall. Once there, I was amazed at all the people, all the things to see. It was hot, there were vendors everywhere selling water, lemonade and the likes. I walked and walked, seeing everything I could: the Viet Nam wall; the Lincoln Memorial; the Washington Memorial; the reflecting pool. It was a life changing experience, and I did this alone! What an adventure! An announcement regarding a parade was made, and I flopped where I was in the grass, my head resting on my purse.... and promptly fell asleep! Guess it wasn't out of the ordinary, no one bothered me! However, I missed the parade, and got up to make my way to some shade for relief from the heat.

There's something special about being in what would be considered a very patriotic place for the 4th. If your imagination works overtime, you get a sense of the history, the people, who forged a country out of nothing but a few beliefs. If you're considering a trip to DC, make it a reality. It's definitely worth it.

I had hoped to get there again while living in Ohio, but that's another story .... :)

Patriotic HUGS to everyone!

Half Century, Part II

In looking at this important upcoming (looming? haha) landmark of life, I can't help but wonder what future generations will think of this one. And ... what would they want to know about it?

Nothing lasts forever until you write it down. When I look back at generations, I find myself wishing that I had a journal from one of my ancestors. What was it like to travel from another country and begin a life here in the US? How did you meet your spouse? How did you know it was love? What was it like to grow up in a time when we didn't have "modern conveniences" ?

Consider this: When I look back, I recall funny little things, like not having a color television until I was 12. Or, when 'portable phones' came out, they were huge, and you carried a battery pack. Compare that with today's tiny cell phone that does everything! ... and you have innovation and technology carried into the future. Would my granddaughter's granddaughter want to read stories about how I used a phone that hung on a wall with a really long cord so I could sit on the floor and be comfortable while I was giggling on the phone with some boy from school? (And yes, I still remember his name, David B. *grin* )

Family stories that get told time and time again should be written down for future generations. Will they make the NY Times best seller list? Probably not. However, I think that they're more precious than a best seller. Not to knock them, I'm an avid reader and love books, but there's something about a journal that holds me spellbound. Mostly because it gives insight into the person writing it; not just the actual events, but thoughts and feelings as well, from the author. Like the book "Bridges of Madison County", a son and daughter learn about a slice of life from their mother's viewpoint; shocking as some of it was (mothers don't have feelings like *that* do they? kids never think so), they learned things that made their mother real in a way they never knew.

I've kept journals for years. One just for quotes and sayings that I like, that speak to me. One that was just for really rough times, like divorce. With current technology, I do much of that sort of writing here in my blogs ... one public, one private. And one day, someone will know the secret parts of my own story as well.

HUGS to everyone!