60 Years on Earth

A Pause to Reflect

60 years of life

Writing from occupied Abenaqui territory.

These past couple years have been traumatic and tragic. Death taking friends, a beloved dog, and my sweet, baby sister has left me grieving and yet grateful.

As I enter my crone years (yay!) I can’t believe I’m still here and I am feeling blessed for the beautiful friendships I have made over these six decades, and for the good things that have come my way. Even the bad and unpleasant experiences have been educational. We all have things to learn to the last day of our short lives. If we aren’t learning, we aren’t living.

I was asked the other day if I still have anything in my bucket list, and truthfully, I mean yes, I’d still love to see the Giza, and learn to fly a plane, but I can do without those dreams now. I have gardens to tend, and music and stories to write (thinking of a musical version of Guy’s and my Ms. Ladybug & Mr. Honeybee book) But I do think I will go to Montreal to see my dear friend Marla who moved there recently. I’ve never been to Montreal and I have not laid eyes on my beautiful friend in decades.

Today I will reflect on the past crazy 60 years of my tiny life, not out of narcissism, but as an exercise of not feeling futile or meaningless. I often feel futile or meaningless especially when I think of my many mistakes. Having learning issues and ADHD has made life’s roadmap very difficult for me. It has not been easy. It’s why late in life I decided to become a special ed teacher. Sadly the economy tanked just as I received my MAT before that dream could be fully realized, and for the first time in history there were no teaching jobs available, and learning specialists’ positions were being cut. My timing stinks. I’ve had to recreate myself so many times just to survive and stay sane. Some have criticized my inability to just stick with one thing. How dull would that be! I’ll take adventure and crazy love over a desk job any day.

What have I seen and done in 60 years: Just the highlights.

Lived on three continents and in four countries-Nigeria, Greece, Belize, & USA.

I’m off the boat. Moved to the USA on a Greek freighter from Nigeria when I was a 1-year-old.

Learned to count in five languages.

Learned to speak two of them fluently (English and Greek) and two more passably (French and Spanish).

Saw the Moon landing “live” in Greece.

Learned to play classical guitar at age 9 and started writing songs at 14.

Started babysitting for $ at age 11.

Became a lifelong gardener at the age of 13.

In 7th grade I danced as a jitterbug with my bestest friend Brette in the musical Wizard of Oz.

When I was 16 I earned today’s equivalent of $25 an hour flipping burgers at Burger King. ($3 an hour 1978)

Worked in an ABC network television studio also for today’s equivalent of $25 an hour. ($4 an hour in 1981)

Met the superstar Madonna.

Auditioned for a Van Halen music video (but my boobs were too small to get in).

Talked to Michael Jackson on the phone.

Gave birth to three amazing kids. The third one tried to kill me from the womb and so we let her/them out two months early.

Did prison work and went into Sing Sing maximum security prison. Same prison the Rosenbergs were murdered in electric chairs.

Drove from New York to Belize while pulling a 25ft Airstream without getting injured.

Owned and operated a 57-acre farm and retreat in Central America.

Sold that beautiful farm to be closer to my dying sister in Illinois. She died.

Had five great loves (including the father of my children).

Rode a raft down Grand Canyon’s Colorado River with the fifth great love.

Joined the mile high club. 😉

Earned three advanced degrees with honors and several certifications including Landscape Design from NY Botanical Gardens and Permaculture Design from the Maya Mountain Research Farm in Belize. (and my fourth grade teacher called me retarded)

Made a documentary that went to Film Festivals.

Had my photo footage in a National Geographic episode.

Officiated as priestess for a Pagan hand-fasting for a dear friend.

Got a tattoo that I designed.

Survived living in Florida during the pandemic.

Wrote and published two children’s books.

Designed and published several books for clients.

Visited New Zealand three times! (Thank you brother Kevin).

Learned to live with chronic Lyme pain.

Moved to Vermont with my fifth great love and two surviving Yorkies, with a plan to eventually retire.

But not yet. Need one more year of work to qualify for Social Security.

So: Now I work at a garden center, co-run our Airbnb, pet sit, and shoot and edit videos. This Fall I will add substitute teaching to that job lineup.

Pray for me. 😂🎂

Me and my mom, who was a teacher and later in life became a counselor. She died of Breast cancer at 55.