� 2001-2006 by Shiloh
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(recorded originally on 10-08-2004 at 9:54 p.m.)
Gah. I almost wrote Sept. 8th instead of Oct.! But that's pretty much been par for my course today, Time playing tricks on me--or reminding me of his all-reaching purpose. Forgetting zee date is just a slip up of mine in a semi-tired state, but today, twice before, I was hit with realizations anew that everything "...within his (Time's) bending sickle's compass come..." as Shakespeare so eloquently wrote. It's been four years since I moved home from Poky; four years since I parted company with Sandy. And before that we had four years of memories: good and...some with heartache attached.
Tomorrow she gets married. And I won't be there. *sad, mixed smile* I hate not being there, but yet I need to be here with family--to be with Mike before he goes off to train before Iraq. Sandy has waited for and deserved this day for so long she brings truth to the adage "Good things come to those who wait." She finally found a love worthy of her (I hope) who will take good care of her and make her happy. (Sam looks happy in her engagement picture.) Heather reminds me of Sam. They both have wanted love, commitment and security in the form of a boyfriend. They both have hearts of gold with so much love and devotion to give. And they both have had duds for boyfriends in the past. But even if they've had relatively nice guys none of them have really been worthy enough to last.
Every relationship, or nearly every one, Sam or Sandy's had has been less than stellar. She wore her heart on her sleeve, acquiring a string of broken engagements as each relationship failed. It got to the point where she no longer believed married bliss was to be hers. She resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood and was all set to sell the wedding dress she'd fallen in love with and bought some years ago.
*dry laugh* Love and Time have a twisted sense of humor. It always never fails, it seems, when people reach that point or conclusion in their lives Father Time and Cupid decide, Hey, guess what?? Since you give up and concede now to our superior wisdom it's time for you and your mate to meet. Time marches to its own tune. Four years ago, I'm sure, Sandy never thought she'd be married to a wonderful guy and starting a new life in Co. Springs.
Nothing remains the same but one thing. Time. That's the constant. It always changes, always marches on. We meet and make special friends who touch our lives for awhile, brightening and enriching our days with their compassion and wisdom. Then Time decrees we all move on, sometimes walking separate paths forever with them leaving their footprints on our hearts forever and hopefully ours on theirs. And so, I think, it is with Sam and me. I went my way in 2000 when I came back home. Now Sam has gone her way with a new husband and family. I wish her well.
People, as we all know, aren't the only ones Time leaves its mark on. Places, too, fall under Time's progression. And this is one other reminder I was made aware of. I know this is na�ve or short-sighted of me, but, don't you always expect small towns to stay...well, small? My hometown was relatively small, or seemed so to me, growing up, even with a college in town. But then I was grown up and all of a sudden the town didn't feel or seem as small. We have a strip mall where my middle school used to be. The college is now a four-year university with more students than ever. It's built new buildings, expanding the campus, and new apartment complexes have sprouted up like a thick, wild patch of daisies on the outskirts of town. We are a thriving, growing city.
Alpine is another such once-upon-a-time small town. Dad lived here as a teenager until he joined the Navy. I'm sure it was even smaller then than when we were first brought as a future family to meet Grandpa and Grandma and the rest of the clan here. It was even smaller than my hometown. It was--and still is in some ways--a quaint town. Very small town. But in recent years there's been much development in the hills surrounding Alpine. The wealthy have started noticing this place and have built extravagant summer or weekend homes, making the property value skyrocket. It's turning into a vacation spot for the wealthy. *sighs* Time doeth ever marcheth on. Coming down the streets of this city I hardly recognized the once small town. Yes, indeed, Time was reminding me of its dominion.
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