194 – Reflection v3

This is a year when I’m taking a blog break during each season, so the summer break is around the corner. This will be my last post until sometime in August. But I will respond to comments as long as possible.

Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like walking on the beach. It’s good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet. 

The circumstances of some days seem to line up to make a particular day a reflective one. A bit of soul-searching about life is good from time to time. Today seems to be one of those days for me – a time to ponder the people and segments of my 70 years.

I think about my mother. A kind, gentle woman who came to America at age 26 with a 3-month-old, knowing only my dad, and not knowing English. In time, she learned the language well enough to converse with customers, visitors, friends, family, and neighbors.

I think about growing up in a small town in the rural Appalachian part of Ohio. Different times there then than today. I had wonderful friends in that isolated, small world. Good times with good people in a good place at a good time – but it’s not a place I want to live today.

I think about my Italian heritage. My paternal grandparents came to a new land after World War 1, then started a family of my dad and his sisters. My mother never became a citizen because her siblings and their families were (and still are) in Italy.

I think about growing up in a bilingual home. A language that verbally ties me to my heritage. A language that warms me when I hear it. A language that I could easily improve with time and effort.

I think about my hometown friends – especially those who stayed together from first grade through high school. They are some of the special people who helped shape who I am today. 

I think about my college days – a four-hour drive from home – a place that provided good times, great memories, and the beginning of my career. It’s where I established many long-term friendships – the place where I met my wife of 40+ years. Yes, we are called Falcon Flames.

I think of my teaching career – such an important, challenging, difficult, frustrating profession – but also rewarding. My career was one of two halves – a time when I thought I knew how to teach and a time when I knew how to teach for learning. I’m proud that I figured out what many deny or never find. 

I think about my years in training development. I wish could have done more of it. Then again, I needed the last half of my teaching career to guide it.

I think about 40+ years of marriage – the ups and downs – the travels, activities, events, and friends – the love, support, growth, and challenges.

I think about the travel we have been fortunate and able to do – both throughout this country and Europe. My feet have stood in all 50 US states, but I’ve only overnighted in 49. Travel opens my eyes to the world and its people by understanding similarities and differences in cultures. It also supports my belief that most people in the world are good.

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

I think about all the people I’ve encountered in 70 years – family, friends, neighbors, classmates, mentors, co-workers, numerous professionals, fellow church members, my students, dancers, cruisers, and many more. I’m steadfast in my belief that the most important decision people make in their life is the choice of people to be in their circle.

I think about those who died during my journey. From Effie, a fellow third-grader, and immediate family, relatives, and friends to those from accidents, natural causes, illness, and violence – and now I am about a dozen years older than my mother when she passed.

I think about how age and experience make us much wiser. When people ask if I would like to be “whatever” age again, I always supply the same answer – “And to be that stupid again? No thanks.”

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Reflections are those random bursts on the continuum of memories we use as an attempt to make sense of the world and our life. Perhaps we reflect more as we age. Maybe age values reflection? Or is it that reflection values age? 

Perhaps reflections help us better our lives in the present because the older we get, the more life experiences we have to reflect back onto. Besides, we also realize more of our life is behind us than is ahead.

Personal reflection is an important thing to do from time to time. Reflections to think about the life we’ve had – to think about the people who have nourished us in the long haul – and the beach is as good a place as any for it. After all, walking on the beach is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have posted about Reflections

• Reflections Choices and Change (an essay)
• Reflection (a poem)
• Reflections (a poem)
• Reflections on a Wonderful School Year (an essay)
• Time for Reflection and Courage (a poem)

Next Post: Hold v2 – Saturday 15th July @ 1 AM (Eastern US)