Monroe Chat

Whilst trundling through the internet today, I came across this quote:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

~ Mark Twain

And thought about what I was doing 20 years ago ...... I was totally aghast LOL I was still living in England and mid way through what I would today describe the most awful time in my life.... (not meaning to be morose) It ocured to me that I rarely (if ever) give this period of time a fleeting thought anymore and yet, at the time felt that I would never see the light again LOL
The reason I don't contemplate, I would suggest is because I have gone on to accomplish so much more, taken risks and truly learned many, many lessons.....

Talking with my g/f yesterday, we were discussing the thoughts and feelings of a teenager, while we both could relate to the "OMG of it all" we also both understood that time would prove us correct in the knowledge that ... this too shall pass..

20 years ~ a long time ago and I guess I really did 'Explore, Dream and Discover"

20 years ago I was dreaming/yearning/screaming to get out of Ohio. I could taste, smell, and almost grasp the freedom. I was living the paycheck to paycheck life and keeping the lights or phone on was too often the big decsion of the day. But I was happy, I wasn't alone and some of our best days were jumping in the car for a ride to nowhere with only $5 in our pockets - enough for a soda, some chips and a candy bar. Looking back, we still laugh about those days and how actually free we really were and how easy life was in many ways. Sure there are more things I'd wish I'd done, but I'm doing them now. Next year - New York City and Mt Rushmore. And I did get out of Ohio for 10 glorious years only to have major lifechanging events and here I am back home. They say you always come back. "They" were right. Plus now I appreciate it more through renewed eyes.

Life is immensely better now financially, I have someone who treats me like a Queen (why I do not know ) and I love when asked what I do for a living I say "full time volunteer". Then off I go describing my passions. Someone recently told me "you have it all" and I guess I do. I have love, my animals, my beautiful home, my cars, my family, more than $5 in my pocket and my bff is but a phone call away (normally 2-3 calls a day even after 25 years!). She even sent me the most touching video for my birthday - she did a compliation of my life as she knew it. It was amazing to see that someone cared that much and actually listened and remembered so much.

My discovery is that I am blessed. I did not know that 20 years ago.

Yes Mam - Kinda crazy isn't it ?????

As I said, I thought 20 years ago that my world had stopped on it's axis .... it maybe did for a moment, but when it restarted, by golly it picked up momentum


Your post is delightful and inspirational ... we all strive to fulfill our daily desires, but it's only reflection that shows the timelines and so often the insignificance of things we encounter along the way

You're going to hate this....

20 years ago....I was three and carefree

LMBO!!!!!! Touche !

......... But probably still peeing in your pants every now and again

HRHPatey wrote:LMBO!!!!!! Touche !

......... But probably still peeing in your pants every now and again

as we both will be in 20 more years!!

Hush now !!!! That really 'depends'

20 years ago I got married

That's a good thing!! or do you need 'depends' also ?????

Thank goodness, not yet.

HRHPatey wrote:That's a good thing!! or do you need 'depends' also ?????

20 years ago I was planning my wedding, finishing up my first year in my chosen profession, which I knew I would be retired with oodles and oodles of money at age 35. Children were debatable at that time.

20 years ago I was planning my wedding, finishing up my first year in my chosen profession, which I knew I would be retired with oodles and oodles of money at age 35. Children were debatable at that time. I might add, I was still in my teens...hehehehehhe

Go ahead .... appease your soul

HRHPatey wrote:Go ahead .... appease your soul

I did (where's the angel smiley??)

20 years ago, I was pregnant with child #1. We decided when we married that we would wait 5 years to have kids and she was born 3 weeks before our 5th anniversery, so we timed that one pretty well LOL! My hubby was finally out of the military and we had moved back to Ohio. Other than that, nothing has changed..... Work, work, work.