Imagine

Imagine living the life you’ve always wanted. (Is that a title of a book?) I don’t have to imagine it anymore: I’ve been smack dab in the middle of the life I’ve always wanted for over two years now.

Granted, my idea of the near-perfect life may be very different from yours. Mine involves writing every day. (There—I’ve lost most of you already.) I get minutes or hours in front of the computer screen depending on the day and my desire to write. I get to write whatever I want whenever I want. When a word or line or idea strikes, I hurry to record it and see where it leads. I’m learning to not censor myself or force ideas into any particular size or shape. It’s more fun—as well as more instructive—to follow the flow.

What makes life even better is having an audience of readers. (Woo hoo! We’re up to nine Google followers on my blog!) And the best of all is getting to write columns for our church newsletter and sometimes seeing my stuff in the Synod Snaps.

And, as if writing weren’t enough, I also get to spend a lot of time with music. Singing in chancel choir is a treat, and some of the time I even hit the right notes. But my first musical loves are my concert and alto flutes. Daily practice, weekly lessons, Tuesday Enchanted Flute Choir practice, Wednesday Tradewinds practice, and monthly gigs with the Silver Tones senior citizen dance band—clearly, music makes my world go ‘round.

But it keeps getting better. I am surrounded by beautiful Nature. I live in a cabin in the woods. (Well, actually it is a log-home-look modular, but “cabin” sounds more Thoreauish.) I suppose it could sound pretty pitiful when I add that I live with my mother and brother (I know what I used to think about such living arrangements for the over-50 crowd) or when I mention that John is a software engineer (sorry, couldn’t resist) and Mom is descending into the throes of dementia. But we manage to have a good time most days as long as I don’t let her supply of acrostic puzzles, mini cinnamon rolls, ice cream, and popsicles run out. Besides, how many people do you know who not only live in the woods on a scenic island but also get to interact with cougars every day? (With the fence caging safely between us, that is.)

And, finally, the twenty-one-mile drive to Oak Harbor, which I do about four days a week for church and music, is gorgeous: trees, distant mountains, and the Sound. It’s good, very good, to be a part of Whidbey Presbyterian Church.

Telephone conversations with my grown children and quarterly trips to visit my grandson round out my idyllic life. I am blessed beyond measure, living the life I always wanted but never imagined.