Sunday, April 28, 2024

 Sunday, April 28, 2024

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2006. Mattie was four years old. Mattie absolutely loved being outdoor, his frog sandbox, and exploring nature. I can't tell you how many hours we spent on the deck of our townhouse, in our commons area, and walking nature trails. These are moments I will never forget. 

Quote of the Day: Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option. ~ Mark Twain

It is funny how the mind works. Somehow the story of Alice the Ghost came to me last night. This is a legend or tale that I learned about while going to Union College in Schenectady, NY. I included the link to the story here. Basically Alice was a teenager, in love with a prospective suitor, who her dad did not approve of. Make a long story short, the legend is that the suitor was shot to death by the father, and the father and Alice were both burned to death. Alice's ghost is said to walk Jackson's Gardens (which is on my college's campus) during the first full moon of the summer. 

Why did this come back to me? Because in the summer of my sophomore year, I stayed on campus to take additional courses. It was that summer that I met Peter. On the first full moon of the summer, a bunch of us went out at midnight and walked Jackson's Gardens looking for Alice the ghost. Frankly this is NOT my thing! I scare easily. I was very leery doing this adventure! There were about four or five of us in tow, maneuvering our way through the dark Gardens. The photos I have posted tonight are from the actual Gardens! Truthfully we were very lucky to have this beautiful spot on campus. This was one of the many reasons I fell in love with Union College. The campus, was breathtaking, and made you feel like this would be a place I could really learn and grow. 

This unique tree is in the middle of the Gardens. If it could talk, I am sure it would have many interesting stories to tell. The Gardens were filled with all sorts of trees. I recall as graduation was approaching, Peter and I went into the Gardens and on one of the trees, we carved our initials. 

I find as I continue to face loss and grief, so many thoughts, feelings, and emotions rise to the surface. What I do know is that was a very special time in my life, where I thought the sky was the limit. If only I could relive those moments again, life was happier, freer, and I wasn't decimated and devastated.