Wandering Thoughts

Wandering thoughts are something that we all have, at different times. It is kind fun to let our thoughts wander and take us wherever they want to go, as one thought leads to another in chain-like fashion.

Our thoughts are such that they can wander through both time and space, at random and even simultaneously.

In our thoughts, we can remember things that happened just moments ago. At times, we can forget them too. (This reminds me of an Alzheimer's patient looking for the socks he had just put on his feet.)

We have hundreds of moments in time that we can recall from earlier periods in our lives. We can have instant recall of them, at times.

Not everyone remembers events from early childhood onward, but many people do. Remembering these kinds of things is a sign of good health, unless one gets locked into that time period and cannot get out of it.

I am exceptionally blessed with early childhood memories, like trying to find Grandma, in her garden. She was picking raspberries, but to me 'hiding' behind the tall raspberry bushes. They were like a mini-forest to me, at age three. The ripe, red raspberries tasted good!

My early childhood memories actually go back earlier than that, even to the time when I was just beginning to crawl.

I had followed Grandpa through a doorway in the farmhouse kitchen. Much to my surprise, it was very dark behind that door. I tumbled down a long flight of wooden stairs into Grandpa's workshop. I landed with a thud and was actually more surprised than hurt. Grandpa picked me up and held me close, until Grandma came downstairs. I remember getting a good scolding and spanking from her. She was probably more frightened than I was.

Grandma was a wonderful lady, who I loved dearly. She made the best tasting 'new' potatoes with fresh butter and milk. For my sixth birthday, she gave me a beautiful set of ceramic doll dishes.

Our thoughts allow us to transport ourselves to places where we have been, or even places we want to go in the future.

For instance, I can still see the market place in Groningen, Holland, surrounded by churches and other red brick buildings, where I watched the doves and marveled at the beautiful flowers, the Gouda cheese and salt herring. That dates back to 1968.

We treasure our wandering thoughts, like precious memories of family occasions that we have celebrated, over the years. For example, Dad's 75th birthday brings back the memory of a plane trip from southern Ontario to Thunder Bay.

Dad was born on December 24th, Christmas Eve. At that time of year, it was extremely cold.

His eyes lit up, as he showed me a beautiful doll he had purchased for one of my nieces. The doll was almost as beautiful as she was.

In our mind's eye, we can also see ourselves at some place where we want to go, maybe a place have always wanted to visit, like the east coast. We are able to project ourselves into that environment and then work towards bringing about the fulfillment of that thought.

Such is the nature of our wandering thoughts. How empty our lives would be without wandering thoughts.