My husband commented the other day that the year is already half over, and the realization hit me like a brick. How is it possible that time moves so quickly these days? I am not complaining, really. It’s true that I’ve wasted too much of the year with a couple of annoying viruses, but this half year has already brought plenty of joy and I am looking forward to the second half.
In May my gorgeous granddaughter performed for the last time, as a soloist, with our local youth orchestra, and (in my wholly objective opinion) she was brilliant. (Allegretto maestoso from Concerto in D for Violin by Charles de Beriot) She was also beautiful, and her confidence on stage makes me so very happy. I get chills when I hear her or her brother perform and I get pretty nostalgic when I remember back — so many memories, from their first lessons, to their playing as I walked down the aisle at our wedding, to now. They both amaze me.
Also in May, I finally got to check “see the northern lights” off my bucket list! We had an amazing display of them right here at home and I am grateful to have seen them. They are becoming more common at our latitude because of all the recent solar flares, and so there is hope that I might even get to see them again.
My granddaughter also performed in her final high school musical (yes, she was amazing), and enjoyed all those fun last-year activities before graduating from high school (7th in a class of about 300!) and deciding on the college that she will attend in the fall. So lots of Big Doings going on in her life and so many fun things for me to watch unfolding. I am unbelievably proud of her.
My older grandson is home from college for summer break and I’ve already had a few chances to spend time with him and his sister (and his girlfriend) — although let's face it, there is never enough time with any of them. But it makes me happy to watch him continue to thrive in his double major of music composition and mathematics. Whatever else goes on, my grandchildren are the light of my life, and I just delight in every bit of it.
The littlest grand continues to develop into his own little person. He is funny and exhausting and full of love and joy. I can't wait to see what interests and talents he grows into when he leaves his current adorable phase, which mostly involves spiderman and his declared possession of everything he sees ("mine!") This year so far has found me feeling old and vulnerable, beset with so many worries about the world and the future, but my personal life is rich and satisfying. I am a lucky woman indeed.
