There once a woman who was on time, often even early, for every engagement. She had her act together and color coded her calendar. Her closet was tidy, always organized by season and color (and no wire hangers). Her bills were paid on time, and there were no piles of stray paper or envelopes on her desk. In fact, there were nary any signs of clutter at all. She cooked lobster and nachos with equal finesse. She indulged in ice cream, French fries, and reubens without gaining a pound. She worked out to be social but never embraced the “no pain no gain” mentality that was de rigueur. She worked diligently and knew no distractions. She wore heels and pencil skirts and always accessorized. She would have never left the house with shoes that didn’t match or a purse littered with crumbs and snot filled tissues. Her shoes matched her bag, and her hair flounced in ways that only shampoo commercials can replicate. Her time was hers, and she ate up the world that was her oyster. Raw, with a healthy splash of Tabasco. She kept no schedule but was always booked, never overbooked. She didn’t say yes without meaning it. She relished her alone time, often staying up late to watch made for TV romance movies and thumbing through design magazines. Her nails were manicured but not painted. Her face unblemished. She shined with the dew of youth. Her outlook was definitely glass half empty, though she tried really hard to be optimistic. Rose colored glasses never complemented her skin tone. She penned letters, wrote in her journal, and outlined the book she dreamed of writing. She kept her passport current and her bag packed. She smiled more easily on the outside than from within. She doted on her cats and trusted them to be furry litmus tests for the new people in her life. Her waist was tiny, and her thighs didn’t touch, but not because she made a concerted effort for it to be so. She didn’t own a scale or a make up mirror. Her home was sparse but filling up with things she loved, and would keep into her adulthood. Chin up, chest out, back straight, she looked forward.
But just for a moment today, she’s looking back.