Rock of ages in my world

If you could choose any person from history to be your imaginary friend, who would it be and why?

Today, as I glanced at our living room, I smiled at the rocking chair sitting in the corner.  It was a treasure my mom rescued from my grandparent’s estate sale.  It was on display in our living room as I was growing up.  I can’t remember the year it received the coat of dark black lacquer paint.  It was my mom who wanted it to be black and my dad came to the rescue and painted it.  I’d love to have it restored to the original wood color.  Someday.

If I could have an imaginary friend for a day, I’d choose the original designer of the chair.  I’d love to hear the story of why they made it and why they chose the particular pressed back pattern.  I’d ask them how long it took to make it.  And I’d question them about the type of person they wished the chair would serve – how many babies would it rock?  How many stories would be told to grandkids sitting on laps of grandparents?  And how many cups of tea would be held as someone sat quietly watching the sunrise or sunset?

60s, 70s, 80s, 90s: Which decade do you love the most and why?

In my early twenties, I said I’d never want to go back to high school years.  But, the music in the early 80’s rocked and I still love to listen to the 80’s classics.  The music in the late 80’s – early 90’s isn’t my favorite, but that time in my life is a fond one.  It is when I met my husband and we started our family.  I thought I had grown a lot in high school, but back when we were starting our life together, building our home and having kids, those years are when I remember growing up the most…so far…that is…

When you die, what do you want to be remembered for?

If I die today, I haven’t climbed the Rockies, I haven’t finished writing the book I started, and I haven’t rocked any grandkids in the black rocking chair.  But, I’m okay with all of that.  I love the simplicity of my life, and I hope I’ve made a difference in the lives of the people I’ve met along the way.  So the trilogy of things I hope I’m remembered for is that I was loving, caring, and that I made a difference.  Believing in my kids, loving my husband and family, and being a person who added value to relationships along the way – all of those experiences have rocked my life.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

When I think of things that inspire me, it is people who enjoy their lives.  In particular, my in-laws.  On Sunday, I saw them drive by in their 1957 Corvette.  They had the top down, baseball caps on, and they went whizzing in the wind down the road.

Later that afternoon, we got a call from my father-in-law.  The car ran out of gas, and they needed to be rescued.  We jumped in our Durango, stopped at the gas station, purchased enough gas to get them home, and headed down the road to find our stranded parents.

As we pulled up, we saw them leaning up against the car, smiling and waving at people passing by.  Looking like loved crazed teenagers, stranded on the side of the road in a 1950’s movie.  They’re so young at heart!  They both smiled at us when they saw us pulling up.  They were happy to have their children (parents) rescue them.

The gas helped get the car started (after some choking and sputtering).  We told them, we’d follow them to make sure they got home okay.  Watching them smile at each other, as they drove ahead of us in their little white Corvette, made me smile, too.

A few miles down the road, the car stalled again…we all pushed it to the side of the road.  Hmm…something else must be wrong.  It wasn’t going to start again.  So my husband opened the hatch on our vehicle and pulled out a tow rope.

Mr:  “Dad, can you hook this to something on your car so I can tow you home?”

Dad:  “Yeah, maybe…when did you get a tow rope?”

Mr:  “Remember when Rachel moved out of her apartment, her friends had left a bin with a bunch of stuff in it – the tow rope was in the bottom of the bin.  You told me to hang on to it because I might need it someday.  Well, it looks like today’s the day – guess you knew I’d need it!”

Dad:  Smiling while shaking his finger at all of us, “See, how many times do I have to tell you people that you should hang on to things that might come in handy someday?”

We looked in the rearview mirror as we pulled them home – they were still smiling.  Ah…to be so happy is a treasured life.  They rock, yes, they do!

And…I love those two, they make me smile.  They are great parents and I admire how they still have fun with each other after 60 years together!  I’m happy they have embraced me into their lives and that they don’t mind my quirks about keeping strange stuff (just in case).  They, too, are fond of the Dubious Minimalist^TM lifestyle – you never know what might come in handy someday!

Post inspiration Cee’s Share Your World and Frank Jansen Photography – Tuesday fpj-photo-challenge – Age