"I Missed You as Soon as I Left."

Enchantress

"I Missed You as Soon as I Left."

Hubby spent the last weekend at Zion's National Park, just to get away. His work schedule warranted some much needed time off and also some time to regroup and reconnect with nature. Despite the triple-digit heat, he had a wonderful time and came back rejuvenated and happy.

The title of the post was his comment to me upon his return. It's nice to know that absence can still make the heart grow founder. I'm eager to have my own excursion this fall because of the nice side-effects I receive whenever I get back home. The week has gotten off to a really good start.

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The summer is starting to take a toll on my girls who are growing weary of each other. They are 5 1/2 years apart; either best friends or mortal enemies. Having two teenage girls in the house is definitely an adventure.  As of the first weekend of August, however, the eldest will be moving into the dorms and assuming her role as RA (resident assistant).

I've been trying to remember what my life was like at thirteen and then at nineteen. At thirteen, I was living in Nashville and in the eighth grade. It was one of my better years in school. I spent a big chunk of it selling M&Ms as a fundraiser for spending cash (our mini-school got to fly to D.C for it's spring trip).  Teachers, students even the janitor used me as their "hook-up" for all things colored and chocolaty. The small boxes were .50 and the big $1.00, which was a great deal for starving Jr. High students. I liked that I'd made a lot of new friends, as a result of my candy-pushing. I also liked all of my classes and most of my teachers, that particular year. It was probably the year that I discovered that I was somewhat attractive because, all of a sudden, the boys were interested.

At nineteen, I was finishing my freshman year of college and entering my sophomore year. Sophomore year was tough. That was the year I received some of the best advice of my life. I was flying either back home or back to school and was chatting with the gentleman sitting next to me. He was asking about school; where I went, my major and if I liked it. Somehow, I got on the subject of being at a crossroads.  I wasn't sure if what I was pursuing was what I should be doing. I also wanted to throw my hands up, find a rich guy, get married and live a socialite's life (just to make things simple). I was at a point where I just felt like I didn't know where I was going. That was when he told me the following:

"There's a misconception about mid-life crises. People think you have one and it's during the middle of your life, but you actually have several. Anytime you're met with big decisions that might impact your life and they require more than just a casual thought to make the decision, that's a "mid-life" crisis (for lack of a better term). Whatever the decision, you just need to make it and move forward. You can't be afraid of the unknown/the outcome."

It was incredibly eye-opening for me. It forced me to really dig in my heels and move forward with school because, ultimately, I knew no one could take my education away from me.  I'm glad I did because, had I not been in school, I would never have come back into contact with my husband.

I've shared this advice with many others over the years. It was a truth that I needed at that particular time of my life and there have been plenty of times I've thought back on its efficacy for various situations in my life. My girls have been given this insight, too. As they continue in their growth, they may use it to move past boundaries in their lives. I hope that I'll rely on this advice when my "real" mid-life hits. (I suspect I'll be facing that one sooner rather than later.) When I do, Lord willing, I'm hopeful hubby will be right there with me.