A Little Challenge

Fun thing some of the writers are doing on a couple of blogs I follow"

1. Depending on your age, go back 10, 15 or 20 years
2. Tell us how many years back you have traveled and why
3. Pretend you have met yourself during that era, and tell us where you are
4. You only have one “date” with this former self
5. Answer these questions
Okay, as we start, what year is it and how old are you?

Would your younger self (YYS) recognize you when you first meet?

Would YYS be surprised to discover what you are doing for work?

What piece of fashion advice would you give YYS?

What do you think YYS is most going to want to know?

How would you answer YYS’s question?

What is something that you probably wouldn’t tell YYS?

What do you think will most surprise YYS about you?

At this point in your life, would YYS like to run into “you” from the future?
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I chose to return to just before I left my parents home. Right after graduation there were so many questions. Who was I? What was I going to do with my life? Where was I going to do it?

Okay, as we start, what year is it and how old are you?

It is 1968 and I am 17 years old....damn, I'm so young!

Would your younger self (YYS) recognize you when you first meet?

I think MYS would recognize me, maybe more intuitively than from sight.

Would YYS be surprised to discover what you are doing for work?

MYS would not be surprised that I spend a large portion of my time with my granddaughters because since I can remember I wanted to be a mommy and a nana just naturally follows. She would wonder what happened to her dream of being a doctor and would be surprised to find out that even though most of my career was in health care it was on the administrative, public relations and marketing side, not hands-on care.

What piece of fashion advice would you give YYS?

First of all, I've just come back from 42 years in the future...if the first advice MYS asks me is fashion advice I would shoot her! My young me and my older me have never really been into fashion, give either one of us a pair of levi's and a sweatshirt or something bohemian (which to me means bra and panties are optional) and we would/will be happy.

But I offer this advice, high heels are over-rated, especially the 3" and 4".
What do you think YYS is most going to want to know?

MYS might ask me if we had children and were they healthy.
MYS might ask if John and I are going to get married and live happily ever after.


How would you answer YYS’s question?

I would definitely tell her that she will have 3 glorious children and they will grow up to be very loving wonderful adults.

I would tell her to ride bikes more often with her kids when they are little, get to Whiskeytown Lake more often with her kids even in winter, have more waterfights, snowball fights and stay away from bubblegum flavored Vodka and to invest in Microsoft. I would also tell her that she will end up raising half the boys in the neighborhood (happily) so she should probably buy a bigger house out of the gate.

I would tell her that, yes, John and I will live happily ever after. But I wouldn't tell her, he with someone else and me with someone else. Our love will produce those beautiful children and some wonderful memories. Relish in the love while it is there and remember it sweetly when it is just a memory.

What is something that you probably wouldn’t tell YYS?

I wouldn't tell her about deaths and endings. It is hard enough on the heart and soul without knowing the "when" of those times.

What do you think will most surprise YYS about you?

MYS would be most shocked that I survived to be older than her grandma Rose, had lots of anxiety wondering if I would. She would wonder why I still live in California and why I live "in town" because I/We are not city-girls. She would wonder where my garden is, why there is dust on my guitar and why my dad's truck is parked in my driveway!!!

At this point in your life, would YYS like to run into “you” from the future?

After the way I've let her body go to hell she would probably like to run into me-from-the-future with a Mac Truck!
I would like to meet my-future-self. Though I don't know that I would be brave enough to ask about any of the kids or mom or dad. I'd ask her if I wrote the books, did they get published? Was I strong when I needed to be and was I tender when tenderness was necessary? I ask her to tell me if I ever hurt someone and what I could do not to hurt them.

If I could tell MYS anything I would tell her that she will know wonderful love, incredible peace, never-ending gratitude. In all the ups and downs of life the ups will far outweigh the downs,the happy tears will out-number sorrowful tears.