Lou Reed spoke to the soul of my senior class in 1973 and we chose his classic as "our song". We were, and are, an eclectic bunch who have seen a lot of history in the 32.75 years since entering the real world. "That war" ended and Tricky Dick got caught red handed. Woodstock revisited turned into something that the original festival so was not. Various politicians, world and religious leaders lied, got caught and lied some more. All the while, we were hard at work raising our children and buying into the American dream that money buys happiness. More work = more money = more stuff= more happiness. During the teenage years when BabyGirl was busy gettin' into everything she was big enough for, I would cringe every time she walked out the door. Though it killed my soul to watch her go and know what was out there, I'd simply say to her " Remember who you are." It was a phrase that usually drew a frown or a flippant "unh huh", but I said it anyway, sort of like a prayer sent up in faith that Big Ernie would hear me even when she didn't.He did...and she did, though it never seemed like it at the time. Somewhere along the way I forgot who I was. I was their daughter, his wife, her mother, their employee, the Sunday school teacher and choir member and Girl Scout leader. Like many other Americans, I became a social security number on a mission to do what the world expected of me. That's where turning fifty comes to be a blessing. You don't like what I think? I could care less. You know what they say about opinions. Knowing that life is, at best, half over and possibly a done deal at any given moment bestows a certain freedom to lighten up and dream big. Small things become monumental and the urge to slow the pace of living overtakes worry and stress. Passion for whatever you love moves front and center. In my case? Here's a few examples.

Music... most all of it
Life stories
Growing things and cookin'
Burnin' shit
My family
Doing what I can for sick people, and those trying to stay healthy
Star gazing and beach or mountain time
Animals
Love, honesty, truth and justice

Don't tell anybody, but I think I've found her again.