Click 3 Times…the magic of the Ruby Red Slippers…
How often have you heard that here…
Well, this is a pictorial of my birthday weekend that didn’t involve
the Ruby Red Slippers per se, but certainly involved the power of three
and what was found in my own backyard…
It’s within you if you listen….Not just to our bodies, (I struggle with that still) but to the outside, daily gifts from our own wisdom.
My birthday celebration started on Friday
with a surprise gift of a shopping spree at The Avenue.
(and let me tell you what a haul it was)
2 pairs of trouser jeans, 2 sweaters, 2 shirts, 1 blouse, 1 skirt, 1 active wear suit, and an additional workout shirt
all for $100 dollars. I got a special added discount when they found out it was my birthday. WOW…fashion, affordable AND my active wear to boot. For a wanna-be fashionista, that was worth more than its weight in gold.
Friday night, Big Puppy took me to my favorite restuarant for dinner. It is my favorite because of the nostalgia and the ambiance not necessarily the food. This is the view from our table. It is surrounding by fishing boats and set under a bridge. (Bridge #1)
Saturday, my road trip. First headed off to see my good friend, June…an annual event around my birthday but never on my birthday. Bridge #2 appeared with an extra added gift attached. The rainbow…..
After my visit with June, we (My Mom and I) headed off to my favorite beach….Ocean Beach….and the weather had changed. Of course, just for me
We went to the Cliff House for lunch…another place I had denied myself for all the excuses I had.. In its day, the cliff house was the place to be. Celebrities pictures now line the walls with the nostalgia that only hints at what was there long ago. As I ate my lunch of endive salad and portobello mushroom sandwich, I realized how my food choices and tastes have changed!
What you can’t see, is off to the left of this picture, is a photograph of Judy Garland….
Then, I wanted a memory picture of that day. In all the years, I have been going to Ocean Beach, often to hunt for sand dollars, I have never had a picture of me at the beach. Mom took my picture next to the sign. It turned out dark, so I used my software to lighten it up..this is what happened
My legacy for my daughter started when she was young
Amazing
Then the finale
The Bridge Walk
The Start
The path ahead
The View
Clear skies all the way
This one reminded me of Tara
and her life changing journey
And the finish…
What I left behind on those bridges was my struggle to climb the mountain. That struggle of what I believed (actually didn’t believe) of myself
All the things that I allowed to hold me back had NOTHING to do with my weight, my intelligence, my heart, other people’s hearts, or my courage.
That day
My 51st birthday
I found my Yellow Brick Road
was the Golden Gate Bridge
I bridged the gap
of the old and the new
And what I found in my own backyard
As I looked at the tunnel at the end of the bridge
A Rainbow Arch
I discovered the key to it all
Self Belief
For me, it wasn’t about accepting or not accepting myself, or respecting or not respecting myself, struggling or not struggling with myself
it was BELIEVING in myself. My Bridge. And I had to discover it for myself.
Love love LOVE the pics! And the green skies
Also love the “no U turn”…reminds me that is what my own journey is…no U turn…no turning back.
This is such a monumental post, Jules. It feels like a shift in your emphasis… subtle, but crucial. Those last 4 sentences summed it up.. so powerful.
I think the reason it hit me as such a powerful and meaningful post was that just yesterday I read an important post by Coach Dayne on the same subject: believing in ourselves. I know you can relate to it, also: http://coachyourmind.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-do-you-believe.html
This was so inspiring to read, the whole birthday journey, the bridges, the leaving behind of things, the rainbow over the one bridge, the photo of Judy Garland… so many meaningful things came together, as though sending you a message. It was wonderful… thank you for sharing this with us. It was like being allowed in a special place, to witness a very personal and important thing happen.
Love the green skies and purple grass! Such a beautiful picture! Glad you had a great birthday!
And discover it you did. Brava girlfriend!