Mama moves to Assisted Living

There comes a time when we've had enough rules, regulations and the should haves of life and love and parents and children and restrictions and society and rules and dogma and religion and politics. 

Mama's 86th Birthday

Somewhere in this heart-stopping moment we decide (or don't decide when life interrupts with the unexpected death or huge life-transition of a parent, spouse, a sibling because life decides it for us,) to take a deep breath and...

break FREE, make a run for it and leave home, safety, all that is known, and race toward...

...the fearful, the unthinkable, the unknowable, the hasn't-even-been-imagined yet.

and HOLY CRAP it's so FREAKING SCARY that

our breath catches. Our hearts race. Our brains spin. But maybe, just maybe it will be okay...

Because maybe we will find peace, happiness. We'll discover that 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' was always, really, right here here in the homes we grew up in. In our back yards. On our front lawns.

Mama around three-years-old outside parsonage.

And most likely our journey ends where it began. No matter our circumstances, I'll venture that most of us were born into love. I'm thinking that when we take our last breath -- to love we shall return. Or -- at least that's the way I hope it works.

For me? "Kindness is my religion... " (I think the Dalai Lama said that, and yes, I'm stealing it...)

Acknowledge the could-of and should-ofs. Pray for all those who did you wrong as well as those who did you right.

Kiss someone.

Mama kissing mystery man...

And live life with abandon.

'I'm running free now -- and no one can stop me....'

I love you, Mama. I hope Assisted Living is excellent living.