Last night Hubby and I drove to Slippery Rock, PA to meet friends at North Country Brewing Company for dinner.  The place has a great history in that small town.  It’s a rustic dining establishment/brewery with awesome woodwork, friendly wait staff, and an easy atmosphere. They have a farm-to-table menu with selections for everyone.  The food was good, and the beer cold and enjoyable.

As was the company!

Our dining companions live in the city.  They are in their early to mid 20’s.  Last evening they discussed their current life plans.  They have decided to get married in the fall, and shortly after, are relocating across the country in California.  He has landed a job with a small company as a computer software guru, and has actually been working remotely for the past 2 months, traveling out to the main office once a month.  She will be looking for a part-time job, and perhaps a place for volunteer work.  They talked about their search for housing (dog-friendly as they have a fur baby), commute issues, cost of living, and the excitement of living on the west coast.  It was a great evening catching up with them, and the face to face encounter (vs. text or phone) allowed me to see the excitement in their eyes, and hear it in their voices, as they talked about their future.  Priceless!

On the drive home, I was watching the sunset turning the sky into exquisite bright oranges, yellows, and pinks, and I asked myself…. Do I remember being that young?

I do remember. 

As I started to recount my days as a young woman trying to find my way in the world, my first inclination was to think about the number of mistakes I made.  Sure, I had a solid job, earned enough money to pay my bills and have food to eat… but oh the mistakes I made!  And as I continued my journey back, I realized that it was the combination of successes and mistakes through all of my years that made me who I am on THIS day.  With each step of my journey I became a bit stronger… a bit wiser… or at least learned a lesson that would serve me at some point along the way. 

I realized that despite my stumbling along the path of life, I harbor neither bitterness nor anger.  I have grown to allow mistakes become part of my character and make them a positive, rather than negative.  Life lessons, all of them.  What a wonderful gift to have been given a past full of vivid images, lasting friendships, lessons to fill a tool box full of problem-solving skills… and the ability to allow myself to make a mistake with less and less self-punishment imposed.

Yes, I remember.  And I’m thankful for the path I walk… Each and every step and stubbed toe!