Their Second Childhood (First Posted June 7, 2011)

They stopped for a light, mid-morning refreshment in town before meeting her mother and their amiga, Barb, for lunch today in the dining room located on the shoreline behind the house she still thinks of as belonging to the family of “Pesty Westy”.  The one that sits just to the left of the spot where the two of them swam as children.  The one that sits right about where they liberated that old rowboat one summer afternoon and her glasses wound up going overboard and getting lost on the bottom of the lake.  (You can be certain the pair of them did not get in to any trouble for that little caper. Yeah.  Right.  And frogs aren't waterproof either!)

And, right at this point in their leisurely break between shopping and their upcoming lunch ....

She leans over the small, outdoor cafe table and - with her eyes shining directly into her sisterfriend's eyes that are shining back at her - she says, "Guess what?  It feels to me like we are entering into our second childhood."

Bonnie cocks her head curiously and replies, "Do you think?"

"Definitely," she affirms firmly.

As she continued to muse on this feeling she also felt the truth of the fact that eventually she, and everyone else who lives long enough, enters into a second infancy as well.  But, right now, she and her sisterfriend - having raised their children and having dealt the best they each knew how with the "shite" they had accumulated over the years - were, in some way that is both symbolic and real, becoming (as light as) children again.  And it is for this reason it is becoming easier and easier to have so much uncomplicated fun together.

They acknowledged how good they were feeling right at that moment by grinning at each other from ear to ear and clinking their coffee cups (cheers!).  Then they were off to meet Barb (who is sharing this stage of life, and the spirit of this stage, with them) and her mother (who celebrated her birthday on June 2nd and who deeply savours the many blessings, especially that of good health, she is experiencing in the latter years of her second childhood).

The four of them spent the whole afternoon eating, laughing and catching the welcome breeze off the lake.  Some pleasant reminiscing also took place.  Her mother is the last of their three mothers dwelling on this side of the veil making her the "official mother and historian" - a precious reservoir of memories and impressions for all three of these childhood friends to draw from regarding the region they grew up in and its families.  She loves sharing her mother with her two friends because it adds to their happiness, as they add to hers.

Going through her second childhood with her two friends from her first is interesting and amazing because the foundation for this experience was established many, many, many years ago.  The wonderful difference this time around is that everything is now taking place under their own authority and they are, individually and collectively, doing a fine job of living this phase of life to the max in mostly simple, but always very enjoyable, ways.

In ways that make them feel good and make them laugh.  (Cheers!)

_______________________________________________________
After thought:

Circling back to the Forty Year cycle she completed on May 16th - and to the change she is experiencing in her dreams - she wonders if her very real realization that she has come full circle to seamlessly connect her (reconstituted/restored) 16 year old self with her current 56 year old self has served to clear the way for her to feel, so clearly, this doorway into her "second childhood".

And, maybe what is really happening (as those who study and revere a female's natural aging process insist does happen) is she is actually on the verge of entering her "cronehood".

Maybe the crone years are the years a female is intended to live in balanced state of  "wisdom" and "light-heartedness" (resembling, at first blush, a "second childhood" filled with fewer pitfalls and more delight).

That's interesting because she thought the next step after completing this Forty Year cycle was to nourish and support her renewed/reclaimed 16 year old self while this formerly shell-shocked aspect of her self matured.

Now she is wondering if her newly increased level of wholeness and self-possession is intended to grow her "out" and not "up" at this stage of her life.  (She finds the thought of this pleasing, intriguing and energizing so it definitely seems positive.)

______________________________________________________

Hmmm.  She is feeling a trifle glutted with this sudden influx of raw material to process.  But, as she opens herself up to this new puzzle, she wonders .......................... and she imagines .......................  that she is going to need to keep an open mind about a lot of things waiting for her around this particular bend in the road.

Neat!