I have written before about the gathering of golf carts at sunset in our community. Today was our day to go up and meet this group of people. I have been watching them for months now and I have to tell you that sometimes the stories are much better in my head; sometimes my imagination is better than my reality and SOMETIMES I have to hear John say “I told you so!” I hate it when that happens.
Today was a beautiful cloudless day in Zellwood. There was a nice cool breeze all day and the temperature in the mid 80’s. I had taken Rosie for her evening walk and it dawned on me that we were getting close to sunset so I flew in the house and asked John to take me up to the gazebo so we could watch it set. John really sees no reason to do this, he says that he has seen a sunset and doesn’t need to see another. Sigh. But I push on because I don’t want to go up there alone, in my mind these golf carts are filled with couples, holding hands and sitting quietly together watching the sun slowly drop into the small little lake.
I am impatient because John doesn’t move fast enough for me and that doesn’t start our romantic little escapade out very well. I am sure we will miss everything by the time John gets us up to the gazebo. John, Rosie and I get in the golf cart and up we go, John being the good guy that he is, ignoring my immature rants and of course, we arrive with time to spare. LOTS of time to spare.
At first none of the people even spoke, so my first bubble pops. There are other dogs with their families and they are the ones that get things moving. Slowly we start chatting and getting to know each other. There are couples and singles. And it really isn’t about the sunset as much as about gathering. I said should have brought my glass of wine but didn’t because I wasn’t sure of what was proper. They made sure I knew that anything goes. One man was telling us that we could bring our dinner up to the gazebo and eat it as the sun set. Wouldn’t that be romantic? As my eyes lit up John made it clear he was not participating in that! Another bubble pops!
I decide to take a picture because I actually remembered the camera and I snap picture number one and my camera is dead, out of juice. I don’t know if the picture took or not but I do know that there will be no other pictures taken. And pop pop pop!
(And the picture turned out pretty good!)
As people come and go the reality becomes more and more apparent. This is a meeting place. It is relaxing and carefree. And all of a sudden everyone says goodnight and leaves. I was confused, the sun hadn’t even set yet! But they were done and off they all went! John was thrilled because he didn’t want to be there at all. And off we went as well. POP!
We ended up going for a drive around the community in our little golf cart, our family; John, Rosie and me. It wasn’t perfect, it certainly wasn’t romantic, but it was fun. We adapted to the moment and made our moment; not the twisted one I had in my head but our own little family moment. John driving the golf cart, Rosie learning to enjoy riding in it and me still getting my story!
So your challenge for the week is not to watch a sunset, unless you really want to! But this week it is to adapt to what is. Don’t try to make it what you want, allow it to be what it really is and tell me about it.
marilyn's mind 