A very good friend who I’ve known for about ten years recently sent me a beautiful bracelet that says “she believed she could, so she did.” I wear it every day. She sent it for a particular reason, though the sentiment encompasses me overall and isn’t limited to any one situation. She knows me well. I've always bristled whenever anyone would say I couldn’t do something and, when pushed, I’ve always proven them wrong.
I’ve been in the same place for over twenty-five years now and while I’ve
always told myself it’s not for forever, I didn’t always believe I could leave
again. Now it’s coming on time for me to prove
myself wrong as well. The hometown is a great place for raising kids, but it
was never “me.” I’ve always been
restless here, and over the past two years the yearning to reset and start over
has gotten stronger. I blogged about
this once last year, as I was approaching my fiftieth birthday. Since then, my son has moved out of the house
and my daughter just graduated high school, though it will be a little while
still before she moves out and is self-supporting. Their lives are just beginning – they are forging
their own paths.
As for myself? Who’s to say I can’t
start a new life in my fifties? Yeah,
age is measured in years, but the
best years aren’t necessarily behind me. Or any of us, really.
I don’t think our age is reflected
by the amount of life we’ve lived, but rather by the amount of life we still feel
inside. And inside, I’m driven by the
need to grab onto a lightning bolt and live my life in a way that makes me
excited again. It’s never too late, and
I have the bracelet to prove it. I
believe I can, and I will.
I’ve been playing it safe for too long.
Taking chances and putting change in motion is the only way to save
myself from regret. I don’t want to play
back my life and have to ask myself “why didn’t I…?”
Take chances. Do what makes you feel
alive. Even if you just grab a small
lightning bolt, it’s still going to be a hell of a ride J
© Dahlia Ramone: June 5, 2016
This was written for Blogophilia
Week 16.9 Topic:
Resetting or Starting Over?
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts) Include a Raymond
Chandler Novel
(Playback, second to last paragraph)
(Easy, 1 pt) Incorporate
someone being saved
