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Soft Winds, Train Whistles and Damp Evening Air.

Industry Observer

July 03, 2007 10:43 PM

A distant train whistle lulls me out of my complacency as I am carried back to an early evening many years ago and to the house my great grandfather built in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario. I was 6 years old that evening. I remember laying there in bed in the soft twilight, a fresh scented sheet covering my small body, the train whistle carrying through the screened window, the ghostly sheers blowing softly across my legs as the breeze carried in the elements of the evening; soft winds, train whistles, damp evening air.

I thought that moment would last forever. I thought I would stay small forever and growing up would never happen. I prayed daily to grow up fast so that I could live my own life. I asked my Mother a thousand questions a day about when I would be old enough to do this and when would I be old enough to do that. Following her around the house as she did her many chores, I would relentlessly bemoan the same sentence over and over ‘I can’t wait until I am old enough to do this and I can’t wait til I am old enough to do…..’ .

She had incredible patience, my Mother. She still does. She would softly reply ‘Don’t wish your life away.’.

I never really understood what she meant. I thought she was just giving me something to confuse me and shush me up for a bit so she could get her work done. Only as I got older and began missing things from the past, such as my son’s little smiling faces or funny sayings they would come out with , did I realize the full implication of what she was saying. She was telling me to cherish each moment. To be happy with where I was now, in this very moment, living the life I have at this very second.

Time waits for no one. If there are people
you love , tell them. They might not be here tomorrow. If there are things you want to do, don’t wait for 'some' day. ‘Somedays’ often have a habit of never coming.

Grasp this moment you have and fill it with all that brings joy to your heart and with as much as possible of that which feeds your soul. This is the true meaning of life.

I will forget about time now until the next time I hear a train whistle and it takes me back to that long ago evening that I thought would last forever.

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Karen Hurst

RICOASTALLIVING.COM - Warwick, RI

Rhode Island Waterfront!

Good morning Jo,

What a thought inspiring post and written so well, to read on my 4th of July morning! Time waits for no one and I for one am going to make sure I live in the moment:) Someday our children and grandchildren will be quoting us in whatever media is available, I want it to be the way you quote your mom.

Have a wonderful day!

Jul 03, 2007 11:01 PM

Lizette Fitzpatrick

Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY

Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes

Jo, it's funny how we have one moment as a child where we feel time stood still. Mine was while I was playing in the sandbox in the back yard. At 12 noon the fire dept. would always test their siren. It must have been the first time I had noticed it but I can still remember listening...then I ran to the house and it seemed to take forever on those short legs! I must have been very young! Later as I looked at that yard it was very small and I was now Big and it would only take a second to run to the porch!

Jul 04, 2007 12:19 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

Thank you for your lovely comment, Karen. You are so right and I can envision your sons and grandchildren quote you now and will long into the future.

I hope you have a wonderful day too !

Jul 04, 2007 12:26 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

Hi Lizette, It does seem strange, doesn't it ? Looking at things through a child's eyes and then looking at them again when you are all grown up. The world did seem so VAST and so unknowable back then.

Thanks for sharing your childhood memory of your 'forever' moment.

Jul 04, 2007 12:29 AM

» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator

» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator - Fort Myers, FL

Good Blog.

You have a gift for writing.

BLOG ON!

Jul 04, 2007 02:00 AM

"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.

President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Jo-Anne...

You have touched me with this. I remember being young and I couldn't wait to be able to do this and that.

Funny thing is once you are able to do this it that it all becomes so much more complicated than we ever dreamed it could be.

We grow up so fast...In my case probably much too fast.

For me...Each day is a gift and I am blessed to be able to see it that way :)

Thank you for this heartfelt and touching post :)

TLW...ROAR!

Jul 04, 2007 02:36 AM

Laura Cerrano

Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY

Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Jo, it's a beautiful post and rings so true with many of us. I think we have all wished time away at one point or another....I wish it were tomorrow, next week. We can never get back a SECOND of it and I don't ever want to forget that. Thank you for this post that reminds us all that every second is precious.

Jul 04, 2007 11:08 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

Thank your for stopping by and for your kind words, Bill.

I hope you have a wonderful and productive day !

Jul 05, 2007 01:04 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

TLW ~ It is funny how that works, isn't it? When you are young it seems the grownups are having all the fun with their freedom and all....how little did we know !?!

The one thing I do notice though, I feel younger now than I did in my twenties ! I think it has something to do with how the older you get, the more 'yourself' you become. I enjoy becoming myself. It's kind of fun, isn't it?

Thank you for your heartfelt comment, I ping with everything you said.

Jul 05, 2007 01:13 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

Carole ~ Thank you .

How right you are ! Every moment is precious. Isn't it amazing how if you use your time wisely, it seems to self-replenish, however if you squander it being unhappy, it seems to last forever ?

Jul 05, 2007 01:16 AM

BILL CHERRY

Bill Cherry, Realtor - Dallas, TX

Broker & Wealth Coach

Jo, this is a great title. My dear friend who is also the editor of my books, Heber Taylor, would absolutely love it. I'm going to send him the title and while I'm at it, I'm going to include your super piece. He'll like it, too.

Your friend,

P.S. I gave up on the mimes or mems thing (or whatever it's called) after one day. Forgive me for that. I'm just not much on discussing things about me. I guess I'm so ADHD that my personality has forced me over the years to look for and try new experiences. It's why I am horribly over-educated.

People aren't interested in that junk about me, and I don't blame them a bit, especially when it causes me to come off looking like an egotist when in reality I'm humble almost to a fault. My friends, acquaintances and wife will tell you that.

Jul 08, 2007 02:19 AM

Jo-Anne Smith

Oakville, ON

Thank you Bill, I truly appreciate that you enjoyed the title and the story and that you liked it enough to pass it on. This really touches me, especially coming from such an incredible talent as yourself. I didn't know that you write books or that you have a magazine column. How little did I know !

All I knew is that I stumbled on your blog one day and was captivated by the skill and charm with which you told stories. I subscribed to your blog then and there and watch daily for each new post you write. How wonderful, there are entire books of your writing ! Now I won't have to wait for each post on your blog. This is truly a wonderful day for me.

Well Bill, I am sorry to be an antagonist, however, people here at AR (and I am sure out there in the Real World too ) are very interested in these things about you. We get to know one another by reading these MeMes. We find out things that our AR pal does not normally blog about. Important little things that true friends love to know about their friends. Like what their passion is and why it is their passion. Or perhaps something that happened to them in their life that partly molded them into the person they are today. Little things. Monumental things. Friendship type things.

All this being said, I think you did your MeMe in your own unique Bill Cherry way when you posted the story about the airplane and the woman and the cowboy and your little cross. It said so much about who you are. Thank you for a great pseudo-meme post. And thanks for being you.

Jul 08, 2007 03:19 AM