For What it's Worth: A Lifetime

Hmmmm...where to begin with this "tidbit"...

For the past few weeks, I have been working on a project. A different project not mentioned in this blog until today. A project for a couple...some friends of mine...my neighbors. Since I am "between jobs" at the present time, I was offered to do some work for them...they live right next door from me. They are beautiful people with a beautiful family...both professionals. Since I have a background in organizing, as well as having worked for them before in the past, I agreed to help them out by organizing their home. They simply don't have time and I need the money, so it sounded like a good plan for all of us. I agreed and knew that this would be a very tedious, time-consuming and large project because they have sooooo many things. Their home is one ginormous treasure box! Every nook and cranny is filled with a conglomeration of small and large...random...things! I knew it would be a challenge, but in hindsight, I could not have prepared for what I was about to take on and certainly not for what would happen....a romance. For the first time in my life, I was given the opportunity to experience a love like nothing I have ever known. As I relish in this affair...I have no regrets...

I began with the craft room and the kitchen area. Then, I moved onto the bathrooms and master bedroom. I worked my way through the house until I got to the very last room...the small office. This room was by far the most intense room in the house. So many things in such a small area. It was tricky at first deciding how I was going to maneuver around all the paperwork, trinkets, books, loose photos, random objects...drawers, cabinets, a closet and 2 desks filled with anything... everything! Stacks, piles, boxes...completely full! So, I took the easiest route...dump it...one square foot at a time!

On one side of the office is "his" desk and on the other side of the office is "her" desk. I started with his...then hers...then worked my way around the room until I got to the bookshelf. The first "dumping session" was loose paperwork...no problem. Shift, sort and stack...easy enough. Then I got to the fun stuff...pictures, postcards, journals, trinkets, random objects that had been buried for quite some time! This excited me because I had hoped that by finding these objects it would be like Christmas for them! I could hear the words, "oh, wow...I have been looking for this...", in the back of my mind. The idea of pleasing them in this manner motivated me to continue!

Even though I had permission to go through their personals, I still felt a bit awkward doing so I always do when I do this type of work). It is tricky to sort through things of this nature and not (look) a little...or (read) a little, but I managed not to get too involved with each item and avoided feeling "nosy". The photographs were difficult not to become intimate with. Not only because these are two people who I care very much about (I would want to see photographs of them), but also...because the contents of all these photographs were absolutely beautiful! To watch these two people grow as one and to experience their lives by way of 35mm film gave me an irreplaceable experience. I was able to see them as young lovers in college...I got to see their wedding and I witness the birth of their two children...! I organized 20 years of their life...photograph after photograph and item after item...I have only known them for 7 of those years. The experience was fun, beautiful, uplifting, exciting, happy...and heartbreaking...

 S h e

A beautiful young woman...

long dark hair...

 porcelain doll-like curls...

Long narrow face...

Thin lips...

eyes with stars inside of them...

Browns...

Different browns...

Glass...

Tiger eye?

Maybe not?

Maybe 

So

?

Lost inside...

Childlike innocence...

Dreamy stare...

Not so innocent...

Devilish grin...

Secret plan...

Leo

H e

A handsome young man...

Crazy hair...

Hats

For all occasions...

Round face...

Round lenses...

Different shapes...

Silly 

Expressions...

Different beards

For 

Different 

Seasons...

Amazing smile...

Unforgettable...

Gentle...

Warm brown...

Today...

Right now...

Taurus

T o g e t h e r

Youth...

Ribbons...

Couple...

Postcards...

Life...

Beads...

Mission...

Diplomas...

Culture...

Thread...

Marriage...

Watercolored

Tears

of

Happiness...

White horses...

Love... 

Paper hearts...

Forever...

Barefoot...

Husband...
Wife...

Children...

Family...

Sage...

T o d a y

Sun 

and 

Moon...

Oil

and

Water...

Footprints

and

Dried flowers...
Yesterday...

This union of two souls was one of the most beautiful...thing(s)...that I have ever seen in my lifetime. The way he looked at her and the way she looked at him in every one of those photographs, made my heart sing! These two people did not half ass do anything! Every last little...((particle))...of their life together was decorated! I fell in love with their love. My "love affair" was witnessing these two people and their love for one another. I have met a lot of happy, beautiful and wonderful people in my life who have done great things...but never like this! People just don't "live" like how this couple has lived? Many lifetimes are spent searching for what these two people have found and experienced in one lifetime! Some never find/experience it. I don't know for certain that (I) will...but I do know now, after seeing it, that it won't be hard to recognize its decorated beauty...

I have never been able to hold onto beautiful things for a very long time...being in-love would be one of those things. I wonder sometimes how true my experiences have been? Maybe I have never "truly" been in-love? Or maybe love is supposed to come to me in doses? Maybe I think too much...? 

My "heartbreak" is the reminder that all good things must come to an end...my neighbors are getting a divorce. It is hard for me to imagine these two people living separate lives, especially after my experience during the last few weeks. Why is this sad to me? Because, sometimes it is hard to let go, even when letting go (for me) has come so often. But as hard as it is to let go, it is just as easy to hold again. With each end, there is a new beginning...a re-birth. They will hold again...

On a lighter note: Even though I have yet to find a relationship comparable to the relationship that my neighbors had found with one another, I am content. I have no regrets! I believe things happen the way they are supposed too. That doesn't mean I totally (((understand))) the way things work out sometimes, but I believe that in the grand scheme of things that it's more about acceptance than understanding. One thing I do understand though...is that forever simply means for as long as it lives/lasts...which would be considered a lifetime!! Right? So, essentially if forever means a "lifetime"...and lifetime basically means "for as long as it lasts", then when it comes to (my) relationships I have lived (many) lifetimes! Wow, I have been busy for the last 45 years! No wonder I am so tired! So for what it's worth, I think I will continue to hold on to "forever"...every---single---time! Especially with the "re-birth" part mentioned earlier! This will keep me forever young! Hell, at this point in time with my track record...I should feel like a spring chicken!