THE SECRET OF LIFE

 

James Taylor Secret O' Life Lyrics

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time 
Any fool can do it 
There ain't nothing to it 
Nobody knows how we got to 
The top of the hill 
But since we're on our way down 
We might as well enjoy the ride 

The secret of love is in opening up your heart 
It's okay to feel afraid 
But don't let that stand in your way 
'cause anyone knows that love is the only road 
And since we're only here for a while 
Might as well show some style 
Give us a smile 

Isn't it a lovely ride 
Sliding down 
Gliding down 
Try not to try too hard 
It's just a lovely ride 

Now the thing about time is that time 
Isn't really real 
It's just your point of view 
How does it feel for you 
Einstein said he could never understand it all 
Planets spinning through space 
The smile upon your face 
Welcome to the human race 

Some kind of lovely ride 
I'll be sliding down 
I'll be gliding down 
Try not to try too hard 
It's just a lovely ride 

Isn't it a lovely ride 
Sliding down 
Gliding down 
Try not to try too hard 
It's just a lovely ride 

Now the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time

(This is really a pretty song - look it up on Youtube and listen.)

My sister-in-law Sandra scanned most of Mama Nick's pictures that were here. The ones she didn't scan, we didn't know. She gave me our set of disks (4) the other day and I looked at them tonight. I remember why it is so hard for me to look at pictures. It isn't that there weren't precious, fun times, good times... It's just that they went by so fast! And aren't these going by just as fast? All the pictures of family, the Christmases, all the work on this house, friends, events, things we do, the nature that is blooming one day and gone the next - like we are... flowers of a field. We are each a generation - here and then not. They have their families, we have ours. Mothers and daddies hold their babies.  Grandmothers and daddies look at their grandchildren, hold them, love them. Three and four generations of pictures. Back, back, back... And here we are today.

Nevertheless.

I loved the pictures and I'll try not to be melancholy when I look at them. Mama and Daddy Nick's family - Mama Nick will be gone a year ago tomorrow. It's almost unbelievable. In April Daddy Nick will be gone 26 years. How long to live without some you love. Goobie was a widow for 30 years. Mama for 33. How did I come to these memories - it's just that life is fragile, tender and so short. 

Mama Nick doing what she loved.

Aunt Ginny, me, Amy, Mama Nick, ca 1990.

12/23/1968

Amy and cousin Jess.

 Amy, about 16.

Mama Nick and me, about 2005 or 06.

Mama Nick's 80th birthday celebration, sons - Paul and David.

Loving my family. Thankful for memories and for being where I am.