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Tuesday 12 January 2016

Daily Prompt: If I could turn back time

If you could return to the past to relive a part of your life, either to experience the wonderful bits again, or to do something over, which part of you life would you return to? Why?

Me in Marrakesh

So there I was relaxing in Arabian style somewhere in Marrakesh, Morocco 25 years younger, 1990 aged 44 more or less. Oh yes I was the Queen of the Arabian nights, at least I thought so. Shall I return to those days, enjoying the ability to wear something that would accentuate the figure that I still had, going places and doing things that I now only have in my dreams.?

I took a look at what I wrote the last time on this prompt and things do not change much really. No thank you, I do not want to relive any part of my life, especially not the part about bringing up four children, going to work daily and fitting in household, cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing in the few precious moments I had to spare. Of course, not having my aches and pains when I was younger was an advantage, but that was just physical. I no longer want to relive the psychological side of it all: planning, multi tasking and definitely not the financial side. 

With a family you had to keep everyone happy. New clothes for the kids when the old ones got too small or the jeans wore through. And then they grew up and wanted everything that all the others had. Of course we survived, mummy and daddy were working for the benefits and in between we even managed a holiday in Marrakesh: yes and no. My husband’s company did an annual excursion to treat the reps and we were included, so it was all covered by the company. Marrakesh was something I would never had want to miss. My one and only trip to a country in North Africa: landing in Casablanca and changing planes to Marrakesh, somewhere near the Atlas mountains. My first impression of Morocco was a ridden group of soldiers on camels dressed in their oriental uniform each a Rudolph Valentino lookalike. OK, not quite, but it was something I will never forget.

There is a big disadvantage to this reliving the past thing, you do not think the same. You do not have the life’s experiences that you have at the age of 69: not that I am wisdom in person but things that happen in life do tend to leave their impression on you. Today when I creep out of bed in the morning I have to think about it.  How to do it that I can actually stand on my two legs and walk to the kitchen. It is not easy and I often think “why didn’t anyone tell me about this when I was younger”, but perhaps it is better so. the little surprises in life.

When I see the younger generation today, I think of myself at that time. I have my regrets. I did not have an iPhone to play with whilst waiting for the local train. Computers were still in the DOS IBM stage where you perhaps play some music and do things that you did not really understand at least I didn’t until the first Commodore arrived, but even then it was reserved for my son and I was just watching in the wings.

Every stage of life has its fun side and mine today is taking photos with my digital camera, writing my prompts on my computer(s), yes I have two. You cannot take it with you, so why not, where there is an Apple (not to eat) there is a Window, so I have the best of both worlds. In the days gone bye my money was spent on the others, today I spend it on myself, if there is enough.

So I am not going anywhere daily prompt, I am content where I am, and please don’t repeat this one again, otherwise I will have to think about how it was with my ancestors in the days of mammoths and learning how to light a fire. I suppose even they had their fun days.

“Look Ug, it’s burning”

“How did you do that Og?

“Just rubbed two sticks together.”

“Mummy can I have two sticks as well.”


“No Ig, it is too dangerous, you might burn yourself.”

2 comments:

  1. There are a few places (Marrakesh included) I would like to visit again. But not re-live my earlier visits. I'd like to see them afresh, with the eye of more life experience, to appreciate them perhaps even more this time than previously.

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    Replies
    1. I am glad that I was there once, an unforgettable experience. My travelling days are no longer, just to London and back

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