You probably realize that I have been missing in action because I have been busy with by archeological dig in the studio/office of our home. I keep finding interesting bits of ephemera, photos and unfinished projects like a sweater I was knitting for myself and a couple of journals.
Here is a lost doll sign that Mia made when she lost her favorite doll at the beach where we were spending Thanksgiving. I saved it because? Well, just because.
Last week I found That 70s Family. Today, I have the 80s version.
Today, I found the journals up there at the top. The first one that I started had three entries, dated September 23, 24 and 25, 1991. (22 years ago. I was a mere 53 years old.)
An excerpt from the first entry:
Yesterday, Lisa asked why I had not yet written in this journal and started to scold me. She stopped, apologized and said, “You have to be ready and want to do it.” Every day, I have these profound thoughts and ideas which I want to write down. I am usually pm a walk or bike ride, and I just never get around to it. Today. I faced the fact that if I don’t write it down, it is not real and it (a thought or idea about myself) can just be out there floating around and I don’t have to deal with it. In other words, I can be a figment of my imagination, and not be real.
(There was some other stuff. I ended with the following.)
I am thankful for the affirmations that Steve, Mark, Lisa and Stephanie give to me. I will not dread the future, I will put the past behind me. I will write about what today gave to me. There, I have begun.
The next entry made me cry.
Today was a long, lonely day. I am attempting to keep myself busy with projects that need to get done. I really crave interaction with other people. Stephanie called this morning – needed money- but we had a nice chat. Steve called from Japan tonight. He misses me as much as I miss him.
I’m struggling over looking for a job. I am afraid of failure and I want to maintain my independence. I’m not sure what I have a passion for, but I may not have the luxury of indulging in my passion.
I wonder how Mark is doing. He has been teaching English in Mexico for two days. I hope he calls soon. I miss him. I am happy that he has made a goal for himself and succeeded in reaching it.
The last entry was very short and sad.
I’m in a rut. I have no friends and no family to interact with. I’m tired of entertaining myself. I have to make a plan to get back into life.
I am trying to remember the circumstances that made me feel so lonely. As I recall, I had just quit a job that I was unhappy with. Prior to that, I had owned and operated two successful diet counseling franchises. The company underwent a leveraged buy out and essentially went in the dumper. But, I had had several years of a happy work life and interaction with lots of people. Fast forward to the time when Mr C was constantly traveling to Japan for work. The kids were long gone from home. Soon after that, I got a job at the Episcopal Church as the office administrator. I loved the job and felt happy and fulfilled. In 1994, we moved to Wilmington, NC. where the other journal was started. I will share that in a later blog post. It is somewhat of a mystery to me!!
I might also say that when I started blogging in 2005, I finally found a way to journal that worked for me. And, can we say, that I finally found something for which I have a passion?
In addition to being busy with the sorting and purging, I helped with our annual Trinity Artisan’s Fair on Sunday. I loved these Chickens made from Pendleton Wool scraps. There is an outlet store near me. The maker gets her fabric there.
I have also been stitching on the 3x3s in the evening.
Wait! Did Mia get her doll back? (I’d think that anyone who saw that sign would have been determined to find it!)
Boy, that journal entry was not by the Gerrie that I know and love! I’m so glad you found your passions…..and then I found you!
Hope you are having fun in Eugene!
xxoo
We live many lives, don’t we? We have our memories, but it’s interesting, every once in a while, to be confronted with something concrete from that past. I would say you’ve created a very good *now*.