Wistful Wednesday.

I like the word wistful, it has a nice ring to it. It makes me think of time, time that you have JUST for you, to sit and think!

The dictionary definition, well one anyway, is Longing; wishful; desirous. I think I must quite often look wistful then, as I can often be found looking longingly at many many things. However, the thing that really does give me most pleasure, is just sitting, on my own, and reading a good book.

Like the picture above, it would be wonderful to have a beautiful garden to do that in. However, as our garden is most definitely the domain of our chickens, it's not QUITE like that image. So I look wistfully at other peoples' gardens, and imagine a sunny afternoon sitting quietly reading, or just watching the world go by.

Of course, one of the great pleasures of that scene, is making pictures and shapes from the clouds. I recall about ten years ago, when I was lucky enough to be sailing around the Canary Islands on a beautiful Tall Ship, doing just that. There were a few of us on deck at sunset, the naughty crew, having a swift smoke between watches, and we started watching the clouds. Someone spotted one that looked just like a submarine, then one appeared that resembled a boat, can you guess what happened next? YUP we fell about laughing discussing whether the sub would torpedo the boat, and completely obliterate the sunset! You had to be there, but MY did we get a telling off, one of the earlier watches was trying to sleep beneath us and we'd woken them all. I often watch a sunset now, over the sea near where we live, and remember that time, and the people that I met. Yes, I look wistful then for sure, those are moments, frozen in time, that we will never forget.

Just like the moment I held each of my children for the first time, and more recently, when I held my first grandchild for the first time, I have that picture stored, but the FEELING, that is something else. I can certainly go all wistful over that one.

I think we also get wistful over the 'What might have beens'. what would have happened if I had taken that OTHER job I was offered? would we have a nicer house if we HAD waited a bit longer before buying? Should I have gone on that trip I always wanted to instead of saving the money?

One thing I am sure of, is that life is TOO short for regrets, IF you have an opportunity to seize something, and you are able to, then DO IT. Someone once told me that the only targets you ever miss, are the ones you DON'T aim for. So I guess, you always have to take a shot, and if you miss, well, practise some more till you get it right.

Always try to remember as well, that sometimes, you may aim at the WRONG target, and THEN if you miss, you might hit the right one accidentally.

Well, time I was off, I have a bubble bath waiting for me, where I can sit in fragrant peace, and get all wistful about gardens full of Frangipane and exotic parrots, and a calm whispering breeze.