Dreams to be Realized

I want a garden. And a house. I want one deep in the woods, in Oregon maybe, in a clearing. It would be earth sheltered and covered with mosses and vines. I'd have an orchard and a vegetable garden and a strawberry patch and a whole field of lavender. And an herb garden. And I'd have mimosa trees and weeping willows and wisteria and wildflowers and lush, flowering, fragrant bushes along winding paths that led to the gardens and the orchard and the house. And there'd be a waterfall nearby, just close enough so I could hear the sound of it when I sat outside at dusk. Eventually, I'd want a rabbit farm, and some chickens, and maybe a dairy cow or a goat for milking. And I'd have a home full of children’s' laughter, and love. So much love. There'd be dirty little bare footprints all over the house, and I'd wash them on my hands and knees and smile to myself, because I'd know there'd be more to wipe up tomorrow, and that I'd get to do it all over again. I'd enjoy it, because it would be a small reminder to myself of youth and happiness and innocence, and all that children hold. And it would remind me of how my children are at home in nature, and how they love the feeling of moss under their bare feet, just like their momma does. And I would cook and make soap and candles and do dishes by hand and bathe my children and pass their clothes down to the younger ones and kiss their faces and then make love to my best friend who I shared this life with and I would go to bed ever night knowing that this was what I lived for. This was why we live, why we love. This was the beauty and the simplicity of life, and I would fall asleep every night peacefully and fulfilled.

And in the morning, when I woke, I'd kiss my lover softly to wake him, and kiss my children and tell them "Good morning and I love you" because every day I'd want them to wake knowing that they were loved and I'd fix breakfast with my lover and play in the garden and read to my children under big shade trees and then we'd climb the trees and laugh eat until our bellies were about to bust. And I'd rub their full tums and kiss their foreheads and put them to bed. This will be a beautiful stage in my life. When my children were grown I'd look back and smile at all the beautiful memories, and I'd be proud for the love and wisdom I had given them to share with the world. Then I would go back to teaching college, love my job, and make love to my husband every night and hold my daughter when she cried over a broken heart, and cry and kiss my children when they graduated from college. And someday, when I'm old, I'll know that my life was beautiful and wondrous and absolutely perfect. And I'd know that I couldn't have asked for anything more. I would have traveled the world, volunteered, helped others, raised children, ate good food, fostered love and learning through my dedication to education and teaching, found the love of my life, and made a beautiful mark on the lives of countless people. Then, I'd squeeze my husband's hand, my lover, my best friend, and know that I could pass easy into whatever lies ahead with a smile on my face and love in my heart.