Keep Your Hat On!

This post was written around when this picture was taken.  The time between the birth of my grandson 11/22/19 and early December.  I was feeling the guilt of the holidays coming, and knowing already, I was not going to have the time to write Christmas cards.  I was sending a gift to one of my friends, but at the same time feeling overwhelming guilt of not being "there" for her during a difficult time.  I realized how many hats I was wearing and wondering, after turning the age of 60, why I was feeling so overwhelmed.  I started writing this to validate why I was being hard on myself.  I rarely throw in the hat.  So, I am sharing this to maybe help you the reader, too.  We all have a story.  We all create the lives we live.  Sometimes, it helps to look back and realize how far you have come, to move forward and appreciate all that you have gone through.  We will feel overwhelmed at times, but always know with strength, determination, goal setting and gratefulness we will get through anything life throws us.
How many hats do you wear?  I will start from the beginning:  Daughter....sister....niece.....grandaughter.....friend....volunteer..student...church goer...movie goer...ice skater...embroiderer...girl scout..helper ...tv watcher..babysitter..neighbor..candy buyer...lemon-ade stand owner..shopper......I did all of these things naturally as a child.
Strong urge to be a wage earner I became:  chambermaid...tablewiper (ha ha) salad and desert preparer...did the dupes.....duper.....kitchen prepper....plater.....appetizer prepper......waitress.....college student....resident advisor.....business major....concert goer.....
Then moved into a steady relationship which made me a girlfriend.....fiance.....wife.....sister-in-law....daughter-in-law...homeowner.....landlord....homemaker..meal maker....bill payer...housekeeper...fireman's wife....ladies auxiliary member.....retail sales person....jewelry merchandiser.....couponer....swatch merchandiser.....college student....art major....college graduate....coast to coast traveler...happy camper...infertile.....pregnant mother....mother of boy/girl twins...homeowner of two houses...retail buyer....direct salesperson...department store department manager...unemployed mother....blogger.....etsy shop owner...assistant store manager....mother of college students...retail store owner....instagrammer....facebooker....mother of college graduates.....mother of a professional trombone player....mother of an artist working for Baltimore Museum of Art...independent house seller ( 3x)......wisher....dreamer...believer... store manager in hometown..... European traveler....cruise lover.....watercolor dabbler and the newest and best hat so far......grandmother..... As I wrote this I realized I left out Aunt....Gardener and Cousin... I am sure there are more I could add on and will as I journey through this life.
    I find that the books I read as a child such as the Little House on the Prairie and Little Women, were remarkable stories of surviving plagues, a sibling being blind and loss of young sibling from an illness.  I never felt my life was that remarkable.  But, after the year 2000 I have felt I am living in a remarkable time.  We as a nation and world have gone through so much!
    Lately, at the age of 60, I was fooled to think wearing all the hats would be easier.  Life would start to slow down.  But, most of all what I realize the best hat I wore was one of a magician.  I can look back and ask myself:  "How did I do all that?"  And, honestly I can say with the utmost grace and dignity!  Because, these are all good things that were given to me by being born to my parents in the land that I LOVE!!!  God bless my parents and America!