Friday, July 1, 2011

Glory Days

I decided to partake in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge on writing.com.  Today's entry is about "Glory Days" and the prompt is "We are now in the mid year of 2011.  Look back from the start of this year to present and share your glory days."

It's been said “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”.

"Glory days"  Every time I hear this phrase I think of the old Bruce Springsteen song with this phrase as its title.  The song talks about folks my age that are stuck in a rut and thinking back wistfully about their glory days in high school and as young adults.  I liked the song when it came out while I was in high school, but like so many things in life, I didn't really "get" it then.

I do now.

When I was in high school, the whole world was open to me.  Thanks to God and my parennts I had the ability to go anywhere and do anything I wanted.  I thought about MIT. I thought about studying in Oxford.  I never did any of these things, though.  I was young and foolish and didn't want to leave whichever boyfriend I was with at the time.

I know; I know.  You know George Bernard Shaw had it right when he said "youth is wasted on the young."

Fast forward ten years.  I had two young children but I also had the opportunity to climb a corporate ladder in a field that I thoroughly enjoyed.  And the kids had a wonderful father who I knew took great care of them on those times I was working late.  I tried to make sure it didn't happen too often, but you know how it is when you're climbing that ladder.  I wonder sometimes what effect that had on my children, but I honestly don't think I was gone enough to make a real difference.  At least I hope not.

Oh and the corporate ladder thing didn't work out.  They moved my position to Pennsylvania and I was not moving to Pennsylvania.

Now I'm old.  Okay, maybe not old but I'm certainly no spring chicken either.  With my years of wisdom, I've discovered that the ambitions of grandeur and the corporate ladder don't matter at all.  What matters is the people you love - those with which you share the moments that take your breath away.  There have been several of those moments since the beginning of this year.  Most of them are far to private to blog about but let's just say that I've discovered a lot since the beginning of the year.

I've discovered that while my boys will always be my babies no matter how old they get, they're also young men now and facing all the decisions that come to one at that stage of life.

I've discovered the joy of an oceanic depth of love with my darling husband and the contentment of reminiscing over the last 25 years we've shared with each other.

I've discovered the treasure of girlfriends you know you can count on for whatever you need, whenever you need it.

I've discovered the simple, heartwarming pleasure of thoroughly enjoying the relationships with which I've been blessed.

This year has been filled with glory days -- days when the power of emotion fills me and takes my breath away.  And thanks to the fact that I finally seem to have learned what's important in life, I know the rest of the year will continue to be glory days.


Copyright © 2011 Denise Duggan

1 comment:

  1. I think "moments that take your breath away" is a good definition for Glory Days. Write on.

    ReplyDelete

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