i'm watching my mom's dog right now which i've been enjoying on many different levels. one of them is the am and pm walks we've been taking through my neighborhood. i've met a couple neighbors from distant blocks....and their dogs and have discovered streets and houses i've never noticed before.
two nights ago i turned down a street and came upon this house. at first i was puzzled. "why would they set this up in their front yard. kind of strange...." and then i took a closer look and it hit me that September 11th was days away. #1, where has the year gone and #2, WOW.
8 years ago, i was living in Eugene, Or. i was teaching pre-school. i had a father that just suffered a massive stroke months earlier and i was at a crossroads in my life. i was trying to figure out what to do next? move back to California to be closer to my family? push myself out of the cocoon of safe Eugene and get back to the "real world"? bingo. the events of this day reminded me that life is fragile and short. my family is not going to be here forever and i wanted to make sure i "soaked em up" while i can.
my life since then has ventured on many paths and has currently placed me in Long Beach. i've found such joy here. amazing friends, LOVE and close proximity to my parents and sister. if something major happens, i'm now a car ride away.
so as these neighbors have a memorial of their own today, remembering the lost lives of Engine Company 343, i'm having my own day of reflection; where i've been these past 8 years and where the next 8 will hopefully take me.
RIP to all of those that lost their lives in this tragic event as well as all of those who have died in this unfair war. but from it all, i think i've learned to love harder and appreciate the simple things in life like walking a dog in the sun, by the beach in a beautiful neighborhood full of smiles and hellos.
