On Sunday, I had the privilege of attending the Simile Middle School production of The Wizard of Oz. And, what does one think when they think of the Wizard of Oz? Tornados. Our area has had its share of tornadoes this year.
Tornados are like spirals, or are spirals more like tornados? It is a question I ponder while waiting for bread to bake in early morning hours on Tuesday.
Something, maybe Halloween, triggered so many memories. Those memories include experiences, songs, events and most of all, people. Celebrating my 50th class reunion provided the opportunity to reconnect with classmates I haven’t spoken to since high school.
So what does this have to do with tornadoes and spirals you ask? Well.
I recently picked up a book about turning a downward spiral into an upward spiral. It is a Christian book, so the content circles around turning a negative downward spiral into a positive upward journey. A spiritual journey. I’ll let you know as I continue the accompanying video series.
Now I haven’t listened to more than the first video, but I had this thought.
We are born, grow up, attend middle school and then high school. From there, we part company to raise children, start careers, get married, have children, and live our lives. We are spiraling upwards in family and career.
Suddenly, we enter our winter years. The children are raised, the house is too big, we have too much stuff, and way too many memories.
We spend way too many hours reminiscing. But, it sure trumps discussing the aches and pains our bodies experience when the weather changes. Those bittersweet memories create both longing and joy.
Old boyfriends and girlfriends from high school rekindle relationships, and some couples move back to their hometown to retire. Phone numbers are shared. We text when we think of something to say. Most of the time, the questions begin with “Do you remember…?”
Years will continue to pass. Then, the spiral hits the clouds and turns around. We become more like middle schoolers — rebellious in a way. We act like teens, growing up and separating from our parents, ready to be adults. We want to keep the many belongings we are saving for the special occasion that never comes, stay in our home of many years, even though the upkeep becomes overwhelming.
Heck no, we are not giving up our driver’s licenses. As seniors, we cling to our independence. We don’t need a caregiver.
Inevitably, the time comes when we become dependent on someone to care for us. There are many similarities between newborns and the aged. Not easy to think about.
If you haven’t guessed, it’s that time again. Scanxiety sets in as I prepare for a brain MRI at Mayo Clinic on Monday, Nov. 3. Somehow, my mind becomes a spiral. It’s not always easy turning that spiral into an upward path.
To keep my spiral trending upward, I will carve a pumpkin to acknowledge Samhain. (I learned about this during my beloved Prairie Public Main Street days.) Then, I will do the next best thing.
Here is a link to my usual Halloween post. I love that photo.
INDYchildrendotme 
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