Fom Here To There Or Is It There To Here ( Tone,Travel)

The doctor has just told me, "Lisa you are in fact expecting" I never expected to hear that I was going to have another child. I would have to wait now, until I am far enough along to find out if I am having a boy or girl.  The day has come, "Lisa it appears you are having a girl", I begin to cry, the doctor ask, "Lisa are you in pain?" No I have never been happier in my life" or so I thought....the journey has begun.

Sitting here in the dark; I am flooded with emotions, remembering the first time I held you in my arms. Your porcelain face looked up at me with eyes filled with sparkle and endless openness into the world, your journey started that day. I just made hotel reservations for us and tomorrow morning we travel to Portland as you begin the next road of your journey in life, my little girl has joined the Army National Guard.

The sun has chosen to appear this morning; we load the car with our overnight bags and head to the store.  As we drive up the road, I look over to gaze at the fine young lady you have become and yet I still see the porcelain faced child with eyes wide open that I saw the day you were born.  You are so full of life; adventure, your individuality makes you the aspiring woman that you are and the amazing role model I know you are going to become.

As we reach the Augusta area it has begun to flurry, the roads are wet. I am glad we have extra windshield fluid in the trunk we are going to need it.  Here we go; just in time, let’s pull over and full the tank so that I can see the road the rest of the way to Portland. I am not sure if it’s the coffee or the anticipation of getting to Portland that has my nerves in a bunch or is it the pride and joy and he sense of accomplishment I see in you.  A red car has just pulled up beside us; you point out the driver as he is digging for what appears to us, seems to be gold, but we know it’s just a great big Booger, sorry if this is gross but how we laugh.  If there is a goal for me in my life, it is that your life always has laughter.

Even though we have now only been here twice, we pull off the interstate into Lewiston to visit with Betu and Raj and grab some lunch, I am starving.  As we sit in the restaurant the wonderful aroma of curry, Indian spices has my mind spinning and my stomach growling. I make joke of how you will miss simple food like this as soon as you have to experience military rations. Once again I sit back and watch you interact with our family friends, I am so proud of you it is overwhelming at times.

Off to Portland: we have jumped back on the interstate, you have settled back in the seat to take a nap, what will I do with myself when you’re gone?  I am going to make sure I take every moment from this point on and snap shot them in my mind so that I do not forget one smile, one laugh, not even one tear.

Wake up sleepy head, were here exit 46 and I can't believe we made it without GPS. The hotel is decent, I know you are looking forward to staying here and I am still a bit edgy but I am sure it will pass.  We check in and I ask you what now of course still with the little girl in you, 'Can we go to the mall?" how some things don't change. I hope they don't in some sense but can't wait for things to change so you may experience life and all it has to offer.

I am on the fifth floor and your room is on the third, how I feel that like the miles down the highway we are also miles apart. You have just called me to let me know you have a roommate and you and she are going to dinner.  I sit her now even though the room is well lit; the TV is on HBO, I am alone, is this how it feels? I know that you have to leave; I know that you have to go; I know that I have prepared you for things the best I know how, so fly away, fly away but always remember how to get home.

From Up Here I See A Sprout (Nature Descriptive)

I am sitting here with my cup of coffee in one hand and the garden hoe in the other. The smell of the morning has started to evaporate the dew, you can almost hear it as a slight sizzle.  I venture towards the flower bed all tucked in by the brown paper bag looking leaves that have provided the blanket for the winter.

As I remove the leaves the smell of earthy soil I already see the peaks of sprouts from the bulbs evidently I missed digging up last fall. The earth worms have also come to visit they quickly wind across the newly tussled soil looking for the escape back under.
Putting the pile of leaves and other items I have now cleared from the bed into a bag, tie it off and move on to the next. As I return to the flower bed I can not believe how in just that short of time the sprouts are now no long transluscent but pale green, almost like a green bean that has gotten water logged.

Uncovering the area I have also come across a small pile of bricks and have decided to use them as a boundary around the outside of the flower bed area.  The bricks have a weathered look and add nicely to the look of the area. As I place the last brick I glance at my watch to see over an hour has passed and almost like lapse time photography the sprouts are not green, not translucent, not even water logged.

Taking a moment I sit and ponder on how I will continue, do I want to go and purchase flowers, seeds, shrubbery or do I want to let the sprouts grow for I do not remember what they may present. A squirl has now come down and is lurking just slightly to my left and is chattering almost trying to add his opinion or to yell at me for disturbing his personal space.

I have taken a water fountain of Lilly leaves that has been sitting under the porch all winter and has tarnished just slightly with almost a mildew coloring. I place it in the center of the flower bed atop of a pile of broken various sized bricks, hmmm this looks really nice. I am trying not to take away from a focal point wanting the bed and the flowers to be the stars.

These sprouts do not need miracle grow, now they are almost smiling on the verge of having grown almost in a moment. I have been so blindsided by the sprouts that I am now just noticing that I have cleaned up this entire section of the yard and it is now lunch time.

My daughter just yelled from the porch " is it not bad enough that you have OCD cleaning the house, do you have to do it to the yard too"  You have been no help, I have done it all myself, just like the lazy sprouts that have been hiding under the blanket of leaves she decides to grace me with her presence after pulling herself out of bed at noon.

Sitting here now I hear birds and the squirrels tussling through the trees, the neighbors dog barking at the kids now playing in the yard across the street.  There still sit the sprouts, several of them and I have decided to let them have their day.  I am going to wait to add anything additionally to the flower bed.

There done for today, I am sitting here while the dogs run in the yard just like the sprouts that have been release you would think the dogs had just been given a new leash:) on life as well.  Yelling at them (the dogs) I warn them to stay away from from the flower bed. I feel accomplished  and I look forward to the days to come and the changes (glad I am not talking dirty sheet) that the flower bed will hold.

Parasailing Through Life What A View (Action-Observe)

I stepped out to the edge of the boat, as the harnass pulls tightly, I feel secure knowing that the support is there. I grab the arm of my friend who has decided to take the plunge, so to speak and so begins the adventure. Parasailing, I thought of it as a spur of the moment adventure not realizing how it actually related to the every day life up to that point that I had experienced.

The Boat kicked into high gear and soon we were looking at the world so differently. How blue and harmonous was the water below, yet in the distance and behind us we could see the frothy white caps of the disturbances from influences, the boat chopping through the water as it has us in tow, the current that fights with fists against the reef or perhaps the sea life that is rising to dispute us invading there world.

Now that we are sailing through the air, the sun was piercing, yet warm and comforting and lighted the view in hughes of color and clearity. I can imagine how the view would be different and how non reflective things would have been had clouds played prevelance in the day.

Parashoot is open and flapping in the wind all exposed yet keeping us steady and on the path in line with the boat.  Its color seemed crisp and almost had a smell, like the comercials you see for Skittles candy. I really could sense banana for yellow, chery for red, apple for green.

As the boat began to slow and we came closer to the ground the colors, the smells and the view became dull and almost stale.  I thought to myself how life should be like Parasailing, to enjoy such a view every day and to experience sights, smells, sounds and enlighting details should be a norm instead of a spur of the moment jump off the end of a boat.

Now with my feet firmly planted on the ground or boat, I should say, I wanted to imediately wanted to go back up and view life from the sky to keep the sense of clarity and objectiveness it seem to add to the experience. Now I had to change that view and incorporate  the experience into the every day life the future presents.

We have all heard the phrase "take time to smell the roses" I think that I would say "take time to go Parasailing" enrich your life with the view, the sights, the smell of Skittles:) and change your perception even if it is slight it could be life altering.

This is my view
From UP Here