Joy Ride

30 years here until I met you

Three decades ~

Waiting ~

Weaving ~

in and out of each other lives

Without even knowing it

Perhaps you passed me on the beach on the way to the cement ship or yielded the right of way to me on Clubhouse Drive ~

We know you were there on those Sunny Spring Days of ‘95

At Harvey West Park ~ cheering on the White Sox ~ Little Josh ~ playing baseball along side with your dear friend’s son

Those Frosty Nights of ‘98

Clapping for Josh ~ “The Freshman” ~ slam dunking the ball in the Santa Cruz High gym

Listening to Rhonda screech, “Defense, Defense!!!”

And there you were when we both searched for our future dog sons

The Capitola Mall ~ The Little Adoption Center

I petted Little Beacon ~ now Satchel ~ and his fur brothers and sisters ~ 

But I had yet to meet his future Furdaddy

So it took a couple of dogs and an SPCA hoodie to finally bring us together

Route 10 ~ April 2012 ~ This Time I Remember You

And your Magical Smile ~

"Do you work for the SPCA?” you asked jovially.

“No, but I just adopted a little dog there!” I answered with a grin.

I remember your kindness, your enthusiasm, your ability to listen and ask questions

Two Little Dogs and a Little Dog Beach ~

And Countless Joy Rides in between

You’ve graced my life with goodness, sweetness, happiness ~

Love, Kindness, Compassion

You’ve changed my life with your tender ways, your wacky humor, your solid presence

Your complete acceptance of me ~ Your Goofy Girl ~ now 50 years old and counting
  

A little girl waits and dreams ~ giving up so many of those dreams ~

then reaches out ~ 

fearlessly ~

Grasping onto that one last dream ~

finally realizing that the dream was there all along ~

just waiting to be found ~

 

“If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.”

~  L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz