Friday, January 13, 2023

Museum of Me: January 2023

Hello and welcome to The Museum of Me. This month's installment is based on a provocative statement: Five years from now I will be doing . . . 

I've thought all week about how to answer that question, what to include in this month's display, and where in the world did Kym come up with this difficult prompt? Looking back through my email, it seems that I might have been the one to suggest this. I've now made a note to myself to not offer further suggestions that I have a very difficult time answering.

But after a week of contemplating the statement, I think I have finally come up with a simple way to complete it. 

Mom, high school graduation, 1951

In five years I hope to be living. I will be 70 years old, and 67 is a sort of gateway number for me since that's how old my mother was when she died. On Monday it will be 22 years since my mother died of breast cancer. She was only sick for a year which is relatively quick for breast cancer. She had just retired from a long career as a postmaster at a small post office in PA and she had big plans. Mom delayed retiring for a while because she loved her job and really enjoyed talking with all of her customers every day but finally decided that it was time to get my father out of his recliner and plan some travel. 

Mom, 1956

They did make a trip to Sweden and enjoyed meeting up with some long-lost relatives that Mom and my aunt had located through their genealogy research. But sadly, that was it for her big plans. Shortly after they returned, Mom started experiencing some very disturbing changes in personality and behavior. After finally convincing my father that something was seriously wrong, we started visiting psychologists, neurologists, and then oncologists. My sons were seven and nine at the time, so I would get them on the bus, make the hour-long trip to my parent's house to see what awaited me, and then try to be back home by the time the boys got off the bus. It felt like a long year, and she did have hospice care at the end, but my father just didn't have the mental and emotional fortitude to take care of my mother and her needs. 

Mom celebrating our cat's birthday, 1969

So in five years, I hope to be alive, healthy, content, and I hope to be living to my fullest. Still walking, reading, knitting, cooking, learning, and maybe even traveling. My big plans include seeing the Northern Lights and I think I'll have to travel much farther north to do that. 

A rare photo of me, my nephew, my sister, and my mother, all together and all smiling, 1981

How about you? I'd love to hear about what you might be doing or where you'll be in five years. We'll be back on the second Friday of February with a brand-new installation. Thank you for visiting The Museum of Me and reading about my glimpse into the future.

13 comments:

  1. What a beautiful post, Bonny! Here's to the next five years! I've been struggling with this prompt, too. But . . . ummmm. It wasn't me. This was one you suggested. ;-)

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  2. I hope you are still here five years from now and for many more years after that! I love seeing all these photos of your mother over time, and it's clear to me that you get your cheerful personality and sense of fun from her.

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  3. Such a wonderful post Bonny. Like Sarah, I enjoyed seeing all the pictures of your Mom - she looks like a fun person. I sure hope you are here in 5 years (and me too) and enjoying life to it's fullest. And, I sure hope that I'm retired by then - LOL (it's just so freakin' easy to keep working from home...).

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  4. I love the spin you put on this post and I can certainly relate, my mom died of colon cancer when she was 66 years old and I was 32. The photos you shared of your mom are wonderful and her spirit lives on in you!

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  5. This post has brought tears to my eyes, Bonny. I am very much hoping that you are here five years from now, still sharing Highly Unreasonable things, reading books and inspiring me what to read next! I truly hope that you continue your Amazing Hitchhiker Knitting and that the Museum of All Things Knitting is getting ready for your Hitchhiker Show!

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  6. I love that you celebrated your cat's birthday!!! That made me smile.

    In five years I will be the age my mom was when she passed. Hard to believe that was 23 years ago this month.

    I guess I wish for my life to be pretty much the way it is. Like Kym said, maybe with less political and social drama. But, that may be way to big to wish for.

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  7. when I read your prompt and didn't read your answer I thought the same thing BE ALIVE! my mom died at the age of 57 from breast cancer as well. I know you will be living a long healthy life :) (we are not our sole parent's genes and medical technology gets better and better)

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  8. When moms die young we always wonder what our fate will be. Mom had a brain tumor and she tried hard to keep living. She died at the age of 59 (only 10 days from her 59th). I had my biggest health crisis when I was 59 and my family was a little freaked out (I was not). Healthcare is better now than our parents had and that gives me peace. Your future WILL be a good one and I look forward to what the next 5 years will bring.

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  9. STAYIN' ALIVE, BONNY!! In 5 years I'll be staring down 70 and plan to be... here!

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  10. Of course, we all wish for you to be here 5, 10, 15 years from now doing whatever you please, Bonny! I think as we get older we realize the most important thing to continue to have is time, precious time. I have thought of my mother's death date every year on my birthday, and wondered at the huge differences in our lifespans. My mother died when she was 49, and this month I will be 72, and she has almost been dead as long as I knew her alive. It is a very strange feeling. Your mom looks so happy in these photos. Here's to many more productive and happy years for both of us.

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  11. Like you, in 5 years I hope to be healthy and actively enjoying life. Wishing you all the best for the future! I love the picture of your mom and I notice that she graduated HS the same year as my mom!

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    1. It was fun looking back at the old photos I hadn't gone through for years, and finding smiling pictures of my Mom. I guess we have to take good care of ourselves so we'll be around as long as possible!

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  12. I love all the photos and memories you have of your Mom. I hope you live well beyond the next five years.

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