Looking back like this, hearing what others were experiencing, reminded me again on how separated we are and yet joined. Back in '96, some of us were going through health problems, marriage or relationship break-ups, some having a travel adventures, maybe a wedding, or major family transition, perhaps a love gained or another lost. We could have gone back to school or lost some of our abilities through an accident. Most of us didn't know each other. It's not to be expected that we would know what was going on with strangers-- and yet now, people who are now reading this blog, are joined by a new media tool to be aware of each other.
Perhaps I am not explaining this well, but it is a thought that has often come to my mind when I hear of a tragedy like most recently the Minnesota bridge collapse. I hear of it and think at that moment, while someone else was facing a catastrophe, I was starting dinner or doing something equally mundane. Someday it'll be me with that life changing moment and others will be totally unaware, maybe even those who may live near to me.
The question I have come back to is how do we connect more with each other so we can be sharing of our energy when others need it-- sharing it even when we don't know the people or what they are going through? How can we put it out there in the universe so that strangers can benefit from our help? It sounds bizarre perhaps. Maybe it can't be done and yet if it could-- what kind of difference could it make to the world?
Anyway to give visualization to this concept, here is where I would like to put photos and/or stories from others to illustrate how we are connected years before we know it, from whatever country, religion or age. I think it would also be good for us to see what others did, big or small moments. Sometimes seeing how someone else dealt with something, as the first story here illustrates, helps us look in more imaginative places for our own solutions.
So if you have stories and/or photos to share, please email them to me (rainnnn7 at hotmail dot com) and I will continue to post them here. Your events for 1996 do not have to represent the biggest moments in your life. A life is not made up of only big moments, but thousands and thousands of little ones.
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Fran in Colorado shared the following pictures and story of her travels to Saudia Arabia, Ireland, and Bali in 1996-- "I was in Bali as I had always wanted to go there and being in the Middle East I was closer to many places I traveled than if going from here. Went with two friends...so a dream come true and still one of my favorite places."Ireland...one of my best friends that I initially met and worked with when arriving in Saudi in 1995 was from Ireland. She hadn't been home in 15 years so quite the experience with her driving since they drive on the left.. Another friend of mine from the States joined us on that trip...
"I was in Saudi on a two year contract as a nurse due to wanting some extra money (pay was great) and also wanted an adventure as my last baby had gone off to college and I was divorced...life was hum..drum..so I did some research and another co-worker had been there ten years previous and told me what a great time she had. She said her social life was better there than here and she was right!! I just wanted a change and an adventure! I could write a book about that adventure along with all the funny things that happened on the side trips...someday!
"It was a life changing adventure...met so many wonderful people from all over the world...the Saudi people were so interesting and appreciated all we did in the hospital....never a bad experience with them. If one could get beyond the restrictions and look at the whole experience, it was such a rich experience in so many ways! It is the fundamentalist Muslims that are the "American haters". The experience taught me what really is important in life and it isn’t "stuff". I also after working five months in the newborn nursery, had a hysterectomy there and then a job change to the Crown Prince's Royal Clinic for the remaining 1 and a half years (he is now the King) What an experience that was...I could go on but know you wanted only a wee description so will end here."
For another example of what might stand out for us in 1996--
Ingineer, in this picture with his son, remembers rejoicing 1996 was a warm year in California and he could water ski in February. He remembers it because he has the photo on his bulletin board where he works and it was easy to find and scan but it's a prime example of one of those little moments that do matter.
And you, what were you doing?
13 comments:
I really like this idea, Rain. I'll have to go back through the boxes of photos to see what I was up to. I think it's the year I went back to work at the university, and it changed my life!
Eleven years ago my first grandson was born. Other than that I can't recall anything about the year. I would have to look back at old photos and the childrenes books I was writing for grandchildren.There wasn't anything I was doing that was life changing.d
To quote an old movie line, "What's behind me is not important." What lies ahead will be the adventure. :-)
In 1996 I was desparately trying to put patches on the dike of a failing marriage. Plus deal with a furious 15 to 16 yr old.
11 years later I'm happily single with a very rich life. I'm not looking backward, I'm looking forward
I would send some pictures but I haven't been able to locate that box from when we moved at the end of May. It will turn up, I do know that 1996 was a transitional year for both my family and myself. My husband and I were separated, very hard on all but I moved here, one of the great things that happened as I love the Island. Tough times but happy ones that followed soon enough.
Looking back on '96 and the few years that followed it is easy to say great years because they are behind us. At the time, there were alot of mixed emotions, some very low lows but some great new adventures. If you can't see the good after this amount of time, and I'm glad I can, I wouldn't have learned the lessons that I have throughout the pain and the joy.
I don't have any pictures from back then. I was on a downhill slope that centered around my trying to keep my marriage together despite knowing it was over. It wasn't pretty. Sigh.
I think there would be no reason to look back for those who have their life as they want it to be probably- other than for fun if there were good things to remember. But if someone isn't living exactly as they want, then looking for why might find the answers back there. Maybe not but if there are negative or positive patterns that we can enhance, then the answers might be found in our past actions. But whatever works to get life as we want, that's the right ticket for each individual. We do learn through others' stories, I think. Or at least I do
Thanks Rain for posting this. The funny thing about looking at that picture is that my son is now just barely shorter than me with plenty more growing to do.
And in keeping with the failed marriage theme, the main reason I said that it was a good year is because my marriage was good that year. We had patched things up after my wife had an affair and then later it fell apart again. I can't believe it took me 20 years to finally see what my marriage really was. Now that I have found someone that really loves me, I can see how wonderful life really can be.
But you cannot go back so I look back at the good parts of what my life has been.
Okay....now, you're really forcing me to go through those old photo albums....lol Which I'll try to do tomorrow and get back to you.
THIS is a really great idea, Rain. And I know what you're saying about...our life being very ordianary right this very second, but somewhere somebody is going through a very profound moment. Deep thinking.....I like it.
I don't have any photos handy either and we didn't always do a very good job of labeling them so some are a bit hard to identify the year. I know 1996 was a pretty good year for me and mine. Our younger son graduated from the U of W that June after just four years in college. Other than that, nothing really jumps to my mine. Just a good year.
This is such a great idea, Rain. The things that jump out at me off the top of my head were that my four year relationship (and last, it looks like)ended and Cookie my dog came to live with me. When I'm back from Washington, I'll track down a few photos.
Rain, I've only just seen this. I'll come back to it when I've dug up my diaries etc. for that period.
Great project and I like the concept behind it.
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