* THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES *

I love old movies, particularly black and white films from the 1940s and 1950s: Comedies, dramas, & love stories. One of my all-time favorites is The Best Years of Our Lives. The first time I saw it was on TV when I was probably 12 or 13 years old.

Although I've watched it dozens of times since then, and remember every scene in the almost-three-hour-movie, the one that struck me that particular day was twenty-something Peggy talking to her parents, Al & Milly, about love, and how they were "so old" they'd forgotten what it was like to be in love....

Peggy: It's none of your business how I'm gonna do it. You've forgotten what it's like to be in love.

Al: You hear that, Milly? I'm so old and decrepit I've forgotten how it feels to want somebody desperately.

Milly: Peggy didn't mean that, did you darling?

Peggy: Oh, no. I don't know what I do mean. It's just that, everything has always been so perfect for you. You loved each other and you got married in a big church, and you had a honeymoon in the south of France. And you never had any trouble of any kind. So how can you possibly understand how it is with Fred and me?

Milly: We never had any trouble. [To Al] How many times have I told you I hated you, and believed it in my heart. How many times have you said you were sick and tired of me, that we were all washed up? How many times have we had to fall in love all over again?

~~~

At my young age at that time, I couldn't imagine how a married couple could feel like that and say such awful things, and still experience the magic of falling in love again and again, especially at their ages. (and of course, my parents' divorce didn't send this kind of message to me, either.)

My disbelief lasted for many years. Obviously during my entire, short-lived-too-young-to-get-married, first marriage. I realized at some point that I had never been in love with my first husband. I wanted someone to love me, take care of me, be a good husband and father, etc. I loved him in the beginning, but I certainly was not "in love."

Fast forward many years...The Ronald and I will celebrate our 33rd Anniversary next month. Thirty three years! I don't know how that's possible since I'm only 40 years old! Hee Hee...

I'm so proud and happy to say that it's been a very happy marriage, too. We have fun. We laugh together and make each other laugh. We like pretty much the same things. Sure, we've had disagreements and arguments, and times of real anger, and loud voicing of opinions at times. But being with him, I know and understand how it feels to be in love, and how exciting it is to fall in love all over again.

~~~

 

 

 

This will be Ron and me in about 20 years!

 

 

* A NEW YEAR AND A NEW WORD FOR THE YEAR? *

I've read a few blog and Facebook posts recently where people are sharing their "word" for the year. You know, words like positive, love, peace, etc. (and please, if any of you have chosen and written about any of those words, I swear I either didn't even see your post, or I don't remember, because I'm definitely not writing with anyone in mind!)

I made the decision years ago not to make New Year's Resolutions any longer. I just wasn't any good at keeping them, no matter how simple they were, and all that ever happened was that I felt like a failure. Not a good way to start a new year...or even a new day!

And as a result of that, I choose to continue living my life the way I have for a long, long time. It's about being grateful for all the little things. It's about choosing to be optimistic and happy. And to continue, no matter how slowly it goes, to accomplish those tasks and goals ahead of me.

~~~

"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself." - Lucile Ball

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

~~~

 

This will be a short and sweet Nostalgic Sunday, since it's very close to being Monday!

 

 

 

This picture is one of my favorites, partly because it's probably the only one I have of just my brother Mike, and me, and our dad. But also because we were so happy then. It was Christmas Day approximately 1960. Looks like we were getting ready to go to Mass, or just got home. I vividly remember my outfit, I guess because I loved it so much! It was a gray jumper with a pink blouse. To this day, I still love pink and gray together. Mike is holding his new Chess For Beginners game, and I'm holding my much loved Colorforms! And what is our dad doing? Reading the newspaper, not paying a bit of attention. SO TYPICAL! And he's wearing what I affectionately refer to as his "Barney Fife suit!"....I wonder what's the deal with he and Mike wearing white socks with their suits??

 

Ahh, such a happy time in my life that ended way too soon......

 

 

Happy 2016 everyone! May this be a year of doors opening and blissful encounters for all!