Our first Guided Autobiography assignment is to write a 600-700 word piece on a major branching part of our life. Maybe I'm ducking the issue a bit but I see RIGHT NOW as a major branching point. I'll include a slightly edited part of my piece.
The photo...I'm reaching for a connection between the photo and the text here. Maybe that a hydrangea bush has branches? Weak, weak. Picture from a front yard in the Fremont area of Seattle. I took a walk around the block because I arrived early. Low angle for sure, but drama
My assignment for this first week:
I will pick RIGHT NOW as a major branching place in my life. Not to discount previous major events. Marriage, jobs and kids, my family of origin, all important. But, over the last six months, my relationship with work, money and my mother has irrevocably changed.
For myself, a time of huge potential opportunity. Just now, right now, I'm finally cognitively coming out of the invisible fog that accompanied these events. For a number of months, I just couldn't see what I might do.
All of my adult life (I'm 58), I have had a jillion kids (ok, 4) or a full time job and usually both. All this constrained my time so completely; I never had much time or resources to move along MY life path. My family and all involved with it completely shaped my life.
But last winter, I lost my job of 14 years. I could choose to take it personally (which, of course, it was) but I won't because it's not worth the time. Time for them and for me to take separate paths. Plus my 85 year old mom with congestive heart failure took a bad fall and passed away in Feb. The loss of my job freed me up to be able to travel to Illinois to help and spend time with my mom. In fact, I spent 27 days in Rockford, Illinois during Jan and Feb (I thought maybe I should register to vote!). I miss my mom but she planned her death just as she wanted (another story).
My mom's death resulted in a sizable inheritance to me. I always knew that money was there but I just never really thought of it actually coming to me. My husband's job looks as stable as can be expected for these times. We have NO debt, not even a mortgage. And we already had some money.
So the bottom line is...I don't have to work unless I want. Or something really good comes along.
Plus my kids are generally launched (ages 20-28) and don't take up much of my time on a daily basis. In fact, I'm really committed to not interfering in their affairs.
So, Sandy, what are you up to these days? Do not waste this valuable time!
Could I really experience early retirement when I'm still wondering what to do when I grow up? What happened to my 'career' that never quite got going?
I choose the theme "personal expression" for this time. Over three years ago, I started a memoir style blog which I intend to continue. I'm taking this class. I've already started writing about the intensive parenting group I have participated in for over 10 years. More, more, and more of that. Also, actively manage this money. Spend more time with my 9 year old granddaughter. Starting that right now. Of course, the daily trip to the dog park with my year old mixed breed dog who loves (it's HIS DUTY) to fetch the ball.
As a child, I really liked to read and write. I felt that I wanted to know everything about everything. See if this sounds like what Teacher Joann mentioned...when I was in second grade, my parents purchased a set of the WorldBook Encyclopedia. As all good parents did at that time. Happily, during that summer, I started with volume A and read the whole thing from start to finish. I thought that was what it was there for. My parents, especially my father, likely thought he was getting his money's worth (extremely important for him). I remember, my mother (always the type that got things done) saying, in exasperation, "Aren't you going to do anything this summer other than read books?". I looked at her in confusion, never occurred to me that there anything else quite as satisfying.
And so, I return to those passions. Right here. Right now.
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