A walk through memories....

Marc and I took the dogs over to a trail right next to the village where I grew up.  My mother still lives in my childhood home and my brother and his family moved into a house right in the village.  So it's not like I don't travel back there at all.

But we began walking the trail and only a mile or so in, where it is very densely wooded around the trail there was hard packed snow still covering the trail.  So we turned around and decided to walk into and around the village.

You ever have one of those days where you felt like things were just meant to be?  That's how I felt today on this walk.

My mother joined us and although we talk at least once per week, we haven't seen each other in FOREVER.  So even though we were "caught up" so to speak on everything, it felt good to finally see her in person!  She walked much of the way with us and then headed home, leaving Marc and I and the dogs to finish our walk.

Speaking of the dogs, they were on their best behavior.  Even though there were a ton of people out and about - along with some dogs that were not behaving - they were ANGELS.  Cesar would be so proud of both us and them! 

So we walked into the village and strolled down the streets that are oh so familiar to me - years later.  Streets that I've traveled on hundereds of times on my bike.  My best friend's house has been re-sided and is a different color, but the memories are intact.  The playground where I spent hours playing as a child and hanging with my friends thinking we were cool as a pre-teen and teen.  The library building is still there - the library itself - where I spent countless hours as a kid and discovered a passionate love of books - is now closed.

I passed the houses that once housed childhood friends and enemies.  That one kid - who was such an ASSHOLE - I had no idea that his dad was an alcoholic who now leads one of the best AA meetings in the county.  That iron bridge that you could see the water under when you walked across?  That has been replaced with a newer, better model.  Oh, and there's the American Legion where my father spent most of his evenings.

I had a pretty fortunate childhood that I can look back on with a smile - and I shared some memories with Marc.  I wonder what different choices I could have made as that young kid that would have changed the entire course of my life.  Would I change it if I could?

There were better things I suppose that I could have done with my day.  The chicken house needs to be cleaned out.  I need to get into the greenhouse and get stuff organized to begin planting.  I need to cut down old dead plants to make room for new growth.  

But as I sit here with some semblance of serenity - which has been sorely missed this week - I think I made the right choice.