I wish I could send you the smell of these lovely lilacs. This dark one is from a huge old bush beside the farmhouse.
The white lilacs are all high up--thus this angle.The Greatest Love
By Anna Swir
She is sixty. She lives
the greatest love of her life.
She walks arm-in-arm with her dear one,
her hair streams in the wind.
Her dear one says:
"You have hair like pearls."
Her children say:
"Old Fool."
Anna Swir Polish Poet Another poem from the anthology Risking Everything edited by Roger Housden
Because of a post by M. Heart, I have some words to form what i am trying to do in my head. Determine what my path might be for the "second half of life." After some reading on-line i discovered people mean after 35!!! as the second half and I am way beyond that.
I am in the second half of the second half or the first half of the last half or something. I know there are several books focusing on this second half. I would like to read poems, fiction anything about women especially in their second halves of life. Suggestions welcome.
25 comments:
Just read my blog...that is ME in my second half of my second half of life! Living it to the hilt; filled with creativity; adventure; risk taking in placing art here and there; being bold, taking chances, enjoying, smelling the roses; appreciating every breath left to me as I wind down/slow down my work life; and focus on the positives in life. I think I am a good role model. One small foot infront of the other!
I can smell your lilacs too! Beautiful photos of them Suki.
Now go take those small steps out in YOUR world.
Lynn you are so right and you are a role model and inspiration, absolutely.!!!!! And I thank you for that. Onward.
smelling lilacs! . . one of nature's gifts of pure pleasure.
Ah.....I almost smell those beauties! I am glad Spring is close to you and Bibs!
I am now in the second half of my life too.... (gosh, how did that happen so quickly)? But....I do believe we must savour every minute.... (I admit it has taken me TWO years to come to this conclusion...) But now, I feel live MUST be lived! This means YOU too, dear friend, must look ahead to a new and exciting chapter in your life! You are still beautiful, talented and a vital person in the world! You are loved by many....and although we may be far apart geographically...we are close!
As Lynn says...step out...be BRAVE....
Let's chat soon!
Love to you and Bibs,
♥ Robin ♥
Your lilac pictures give me something to look forward to--ours are still about 2 weeks from popping, I think. We have a tall white lilac tree and several smaller lilac bushes and I know exactly the scent you're referring to. Nice that you finally got some sun. I enjoyed the walk out to the cloutie well yesterday and was glad I wore my gumboots.
Lilacs are lovely, such heady perfume. Not seen any here but I do have a bottle of lilac room freshner. Must go and get it out and give the place a spray.
Lovely!! I can smell them from here, Suki!
It's late and I cannot do maths in my head, so have no idea what the second half of the second half is: I think of the biblical three-score-years and ten and am past that .. please advise. (And sorry I;ve been absent for so long.)
anne, i was just being silly with the second half of the second half. i am 65
I once lived in the mountains and I had a lilac tree. It was only small but the flowers were just beautiful and the scent....!
Lynn is a fantastic role model and she inspires me to get out there and do what I love. And to be active physically & mentally and to give love to others. Taking action is the key I believe - don't stop or slow down!
Those lilacs look lovely, I miss the gorgeous lilacs at my old house, probably hundreds of years old. Can you dig up some suckers for me one day?
I think we are all in the second half of the first half, heading towards a touchdown - and we always have 25 yards to go. I don't know if that makes any football sense, but to me....I guess it does. Maybe it's all a journey with no destination - with no "aha - you've reached your goal" - maybe that's what it all should be about.
I'm rambling....
have a lovely sunday
I'm glad you liked the poem - I think the "second half" of life is a bit of a relative term - people feel they're at a turning point for all sorts of different reasons.
Is that first lilac actually hot pink colored? I've never seen one that shade. When J and I moved in at the house there was only one old lilac - then I ordered 10 from the arbor day (just little twigs back then) and now I have 9 more blooming all over the yard this week. I'm looking forward to bringing in some blooms tomorrow, lilac is one of my favorite scents...
Since these came in my email post I HAD to come and say.. GORGEOUS. I Love Lilacs and these are BEAUTIFUL!!
suki, i have a book i will recommend to you once i get back home and can look up the title.
i'm not expert. the one thing i try to do is move ahead even if my knees shake. wow how vibrant lynn's advice. she is right. if not now, when? and really, suki, forgive my language, but who gives a damn if someone doesn't like this or that concerning us? it's a free country and a brief earthbound life: i think our doing our best to be happy reverberates beyond ourselves.
i could respond to this post for the next three hours :^)
love
kj
dear Suki,
Must admit I had to giggle a little about that last part with all those halves..........
Sometimes were are just stuck for a moment until we are ready to take the next step. We all want you to take that step and you will when the time is there and you know you have a lot of friends who are willing to help you or give you that little push when you need it.
In the meanwhile just enjoy the things which are there like the lilacs.
Glad that awful winter is over now there where you are.
I still picture you in Cape Cod......
Take care♥
M. Heart it looks pink in the photo but in real life it is a deep lilac.
I'm not sure I know what I did or completed in the first half of my life. I think I'll just go on and try and finish what I began, so long ago, during my second half, which has begun.
Never mind that they assume the second half begins at thirty five. Not sure who comes up with these stats...
I guess I'll continue to live one day at a time, with love and kindness for others first and foremost in my heart. I'm moving, as well, Suki. I know the town I'm moving to,finally, and that fact, at least, has calmed me down some. I now know where my place is, in time...xo
I'm right there with ya. My body is not keeping up with my mind. I feel tired, yet energized. I feel I need to rest and let life catch up with me instead of barrelling ahead all the time. Breathe.
Good advice from everyone before me. Trying to take it one day at a time.
I love your lilacs. Ours were beautiful this year too, but they are gone now. On to peonies now.
Spring looks very sumptuous at the old farmhouse. I feel these vague sense of romance about the place, like Anne of Green Gables or something.
I sense you living a full, rich, "observed" life but not seeing it in that way because you're right in the middle of it.
But who can argue about adding more richness to it, finding more inspiration or ideas to riff off of. Looking forward to reading more about your exploration. May the sun shine on you, this beautiful weekend!
I've told my story so many times...unexpected circumstances created my second, second half and in so many ways I'm glad. I believe everything and everyone responds to our first steps and we become stronger with each step.
Your lilacs a so beautiful!
Your blog is filled with springtime :)
Lynn is right .... I gain so much inspiration from my fellow bloggers (like her!) ... Of all ages .... But especially from those who have some life experience to draw from. It's a wealth.
Suki, You made me laugh. I am right behind you...And I can smell those lilacs from here, heaven.
I keep meaning to do something for your Cloutie well, but time gets away from me. Maybe this week!
xoxo
Suki, I've been back nearly two years now and I have not had my nose to a lilac stem! Today I did an extra long walk and stopped by a bush which was already turning brown. I stood on my tippy-toes to sniff one that was still mostly purple, but no...nothing.Next year I won't wait! I'll knock on the door of the lilac owners and ask if I could please just bring a branch to my nose.
I'll look at my bookshelves for you and see what I can glean.
meanwhile, I'm slowly, very slowly trying to catch up with all of my friends blogs.
I still see you on the cape as well, for what it's worth ;)
xo
Lo♥
aren't lilacs wonderful? we have old lilacs in our yard and have all three of those colors as well--funny how my white ones are also really high up though now i have one young plant that i can actually reach.
as for readings--do you read terry tempest williams at all? she is wonderful. also, i just read a wonderful book by elisabeth tova bailey that i wrote about on my blog and it may actually fit your mood quite well--it is small and a quick but wonderful read--i think you would love it.
take care!
First love is always the greatest love.
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