Sun sparkling off strands of long white hair free-floating above
the steering wheel of the huge car as it barrels down the road is
your first sign. Bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks and a huge smile looking back through the
windshield are your next clues. They announce an imminent, impromptu
visit of one of my favorite aunts.
That's the very thing
that made these visits so wonderful, you never knew when they might happen.
Like receiving an unexpected gift when it wasn't even Christmas or your
birthday—a shiny box with a great, wonderful bow just shows up one
morning.
It's absolutely the best kind of surprise!
My aunt is a free-spirit you see. And to my understanding isn't much
concerned or bothered by other people's rules or opinions, which is the
very thing that makes her quite one of the most intriguing and marvelous
human beings I've ever met.
After the Cadillac that probably
caught air toppping the hill slows and stops in your driveway, a cloud
of joyous laughter drifts out as the massive car door opens and you're
quickly enveloped in a world-class hug. Oh yes, my aunt is quite one of
the best huggers EVER. A warmer, more loving and joyous soul I don't
think exists.
My fathers little sister, my Aunt Ouida is
truly a delight and is absolutely the female version of my father. They
have the same expressive, charmingly mischievous grins that fully
reaches beautiful blue eyes that twinkle with unsuppressed myrth.
What makes her so enchanting is not just her smile, her conversation is
sprinkled with giggles and punctuated with titters of joy—quite
infectious actually. One would have to be absolutely determined to be
miserable to remain in a bad humor in her presence for any reasonable
length of time.
Married to a loving husband as far as I could
see, who after he retired developed what some might call an 'adventurous
streak.' A pilot with his own plane, his renewed interest in fishing
and hunting had him quite literally 'flying off into the sunset' to
pursue said interests frequently, leaving my aunt to her own devices.
This might have been a problem for some women, but not my aunt. Thus was born what I think of as my aunts 'traveling era.'
Our family is a large clan and my aunt always was a very social person.
Her journeys began visiting relatives scattered over the state and
surrounding states. These visits were often unexpected and occasionally
spur-of-the-moment which made them all the more magical...at least, to
me.
With a girlfriend or cousin in tow but often solo, my
aunt would jump into her car and off she would go, calling to announce
her imminent arrival to the object of her visit while she was en route.
Very exciting!
Of course, with this particular mode of
operation, one would have to be flexible and prepared with a list of
several potential alternatives. As far as I could see, this never seemed
a problem, as her visits were always short, thoroughly entertaining and
were always looked forward to by all. But, if the odd thing happened
and no one was at home, there were plenty of museums, IMAX theaters and
sites to see until the next person on the visiting list could be
contacted.
My aunt was a great example of knowing the value of
how to make yourself happy and how not to sit around and complain.
Waiting for someone else to entertain you, pouting, whining and feeling
sorry for yourself basically takes time away from new adventures.
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