Memories and Gifts.

 

When ever I look at this picture it gives me the willies.
Out of the three girls, only I am still alive.
One would never believe such a thing could happen.
We all had a bright future ahead of us.
The girl on the left, was 4 years older than I was.
She always bullied me especially at my aunts' wedding, where we were 3 flower girls and
fought over who would hold her dress. She and this other girl, were both 4 years older than I was.
We all could have held it but she and her friend  didn't want me to and tore my dress but
 I got into trouble
and was quite upset that my Aunt took their side.
I was three and she and her friend must have been 7.
My feelings were very hurt that day and the photographer
captured me looking up at my aunt in my torn dress while the other two looked so
smug holding their flowers lol
Anyway, when she grew up, she lost her weight and became an
accomplished piano player.
She married a nice man, they bought a house, and next thing you know,
she died, right in front of it.
Boom, snap and it was over.
They said it was because of birth control pills .
She was only around 25 years old.
I think they changed  birth control pills after that so this sort of thing wouldn't happen.

The little girl on the right, I played with .
She was a year younger and she was the one who I pinched that day, just to hear her
begin wailing from very low base up to high soprano.
She always got into trouble for that because it sounded like a loud siren and
 very annoying to the ear.
After she calmed down and we were alone, I'd pinch her again and
 she got into trouble again. lol
It was just a little pinch but that's all she needed.
We were all little Angels back then. lol

She had a cute smile and people liked her cause she joked a lot
as opposed to me who was always serious, shy
and philosophical.
She became ill I believe with meningitis cause the whole church was praying for her and
survived
only through Gods' will.
She later she tempted fate by mixing herself up with party kids in High School,
and taking drugs.
We lost touch by then because I
didn't party or do drugs and didn't want to get
into the trouble she always got into.
 She married twice and had a child.

She passed away a few years back at around 40 years of age,
 from cancer and I attribute that to the drugs she took.
Many people who I met in hospital suffering from pancreatic and liver cancers did
drugs and alcohol when they were young.
It all seems fun. Every one does it but it shortens your life.
She left behind a young son who still needed a Mom and devastated old parents.

Thus you lose so many people in your life .
You look back and reality sets in that the day will come for you as well.
Every day is a gift.
Just like the streets you grew up in have changed,
erased everything about your life,
the people all go too and all you have left are pictures and memories and
you sit looking at them, reflecting by gone years.
You have fond memories even of the bad days and remember being told
not to rush to grow up.
 How right they were.

When it comes to children, I want my breast up front first,
to take the bullet so to speak,
so they may live a full life.

The good the bad and the ugly are all
part of lifes' experiences and if we can survive another day
to remember
well... that's a gift too.
-------------------------------
The main dish at a dinner party some friends attended, turned out to be a disaster.
As guests began to leave, my friends' husband tried to console the hostess by saying:
"I'm sorry about the main course but the dessert was excellent."
Yes it was" she answered. "Your wife made it. "
Readers Digest
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo