By Staff
Taking my "baby" out to celebrate her 27th birthday Tuesday evening, I couldn't help but think about how quickly time flies.
I came to this area, east of Dowagiac and north of Cassopolis, a little over a year before she was born.
With three little boys and soon a new baby to take care of, those first 10 years were filled with school activities, sports (sometimes with three Little League games going on at the same time) and church.
I am surprised at the many other things I found time for, such as a rather large garden and my costume business.
People still remember when they rented costumes from my house (actually my dining room) for Halloween parties.
Then I "found my niche" as my mother always said and became a reporter for the Dowagiac Daily News, finally using my photography major and degree.
Eventually, I went to South Bend and was editor of the Penny Saver Times.
Life became even more busy and I even managed to teach students how to make costumes at Saint Mary's College for a few years.
Before long the boys were grown. Matthew turns 36 on Saint Patrick's Day and the other two can both be trusted as they are over 30.
I remember when I read a book a week. I used to send out 200 Christmas cards. When I think of the size of my garden and then how I froze the vegetables, it makes me wonder if the days were longer then.
As the days pass by we can never recover that time.
We might as well enjoy what we are doing.
What we learn to do as children often becomes the stuff which will fill our days when we are adults.
Two of my boys still play baseball, only on adult teams.
I learned to sew when I was 11. My aunt took me to the store, let me pick out a simple pattern and some fabric.
I wish I still had those red and white polka-dot pjs just to see how well I did back then.
I never did pick up knitting or crocheting, which I always wished I could do.
When I went to do a story for our Horizons paper, I spoke with two different groups, one in Niles and the other at the Cass County Council on Aging.
They all encouraged me so since then I made and gave away one scarf and I'm working on another.
You are never too old to learn something new.
I look forward to still learning some new things and going back to others I haven't done for years, such as stained glass.
I took a class at Potter's in Dowagiac many years ago and made three windows.
They are still in a house in Indiana so I would like to try another project.
The best inspiration as a child I received from my parents was to appreciate reading.
I read newspapers, magazines and books – lots of books.
I never did have gym in grade school, which to this day I use to explain my inactivity as an adult.
It is impossible for me to ever believe life is boring.
There are just so many different things to learn and do.
Unfortunately some new things might be hampered by older bones, so I hope young people take time to explore the world around them and do the things they want to try now, instead of waiting for another day.
I can't see myself ever sky diving.
Though I might never be able to travel as much as my third son, who leaves for India next week, I have been able to go many places in my mind.
He, on the other hand, has already been to 18 countries.