Ramblings of an Old, Romantic Soul

The preparations for going home are always exciting.  The biggest issue for me is 'Do I take my laptop or not?' I decided This time to leave it home and have realized I am quite addicted to the thing, to Facebook, to email, and to my poetry sites.  It kills me not to have free access!  Yes, I do have sporadic use of my brother's computer (and this is being typed on my mother's while she is fast asleep); I am refraining from constant use, but oh, how it hurts! lol  I wonder what I am missing, what's happening without my presence; how many notifications I will have, how many friend requests, who is beating me in Bejeweled or Mahjong Dimensions...I wonder how many emails are piling up or how many people have read my poems.  I imagine this huge backlog that will take forever to peruse.  I log on with anticipation only to find I am not quite the poetic genius I thought, nor the most popular on Facebook.  I am learning that sometimes not much happens when I ...

I'm sitting here, just chilling out, relaxing, listening to a gentle thunder - hoping it will rain - our flowers/plants desperately need the water.  For three days now the sky has blackened, thunder has boomed, and then it passes right over...I'm relaxing because tomorrow we have a long, arduous drive...heading back to Baltimore for my nephew's wedding. Where did the time go?  I remember when he was just a little baby - when my sister and her husband packed up and moved to Yakima, Washington.   I remember being at the airport saying our goodbyes, and he was just months old...he was the cutest baby!  He came out cute...he was the first baby that I ever truly said was beautiful!  And he still is.  He has become a handsome young man, responsible, and he has found the woman he wants to share his life with.  I have not met her; am looking forward to doing so...my sister loves her, so that's a good sign!  But I don't feel that much older.  I know...

Sometimes life throws a curve ball that knock us off our feet. Sometimes we get up right away, wipe the dust off and continue on.  Other times, it's not so easy.  Sometimes the curve ball hits us hard and knocks our breath out, making it difficult to move, to think, to feel.  And yet, life goes on.  Eventually, we do manage to breathe again, to feel again...to realize that there is light at the end of the tunnel...life does go on and the heart does heal.  And today, for me, life sure feels better. Life Feels Better Life seems better than before, every day the sun shines more; past is past, best to ignore, think of peace and sweet rapport. Just step outside, go explore, find the beauty, I implore! See the mountains, or the shore, watch a lone bird float and soar; sunrise, sunset ~ stop, adore; Everywhere such gifts galore... Oh yes, life feels much better than before!   Copyright © Kristina M. Hooper   ...

So, today, I have an appointment to get my hair cut and colored.  We have a wedding to attend at the end of the month and I want to look my best.  And to me, that's an alarm to get the hair cut and the gray covered up.  Yes, I admit, I have gray hair...see photo on left - the 'colorful' sides'! I keep thinking that I am going to be 'natural'...no more coloring...let the gray come...after all, I am in my 50s now - why not?  Yet, when I see the gray coming I almost start to panic and know it's only a matter of time before I hit the salon, or the box.  Why?  Why is it that men can turn gray and it looks 'distinguished' or sexy?  What's up with that?  But a woman turns gray and we think we look old and, well, haggard.  Why the double standard?  Of course, I think women put more pressure on themselves - our men probably would say we are beautiful, regardless of hair color.  My husband would tell me not to worry. In fact, on our first...

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with two of my nieces.  They were attending a conference in Orlando and I drove up and spent the night with them.  We had a lovely sushi dinner, then talked till 2:30 in the morning ~ about life, love, memories, etc.  It was a wonderful, wonderful evening. During the evening I shared some of my past with them.  I wanted them to know that we all make mistakes, that love isn't everything when it comes to relationships, how important self-knowledge is.  Oh yeah, I was the wise aunt.  Then I got home and started thinking - did I share too much?  Perhaps what I shared was a little TMI (too much information)?  Perhaps they had a vision of their aunt that I had now destroyed.  So I emailed them with my concerns and was happy to hear nothing was further from the truth. They were both happy to hear of my stories, my lost loves, my experiences...they both felt closer to me for sharing, and felt the...