Here’s this week’s installment of Five Minute Friday. You might remember the task is to write for five minutes on a specific prompt word. The initiative was started by Lisa-Jo Baker (http://lisajobaker.com/2013/05/five-minute-friday-imagine/) who thought about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And she figured, why not take five minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

This week’s prompt is IMAGINE

The timer is set … so here goes. {clock starts now}

Close your eyes. Clear your mind. Take a deep breath. And imagine!

One of the advantages we have as human beings is the ability to use our imagination, to dream our dreams, to look beyond the now.

When Karen and I were first married, we had our dreams, but never in a million years would I – or she — have thought our journey would take the twists and turns it took. Who would have thought we would move 1,000 miles from friends and family? Who would have thought we would live in five different states? Who would have thought we would have had the experiences we experienced.

But we did, because we were able to use our imagination and look beyond our circumstances. We worked together and independently, supporting each other even when other gave up on us. It wasn’t always easy but it was always an adventure.

Just before she died, Karen and I talked at length about where we would retire. She … STOP

… chose Maine, even though neither of us had ever visited the state. She could imagine cool nights in summer and snuggling before a fire in the winter.

Well, we didn’t make it to Maine {although I hope to some day}, but it lived in the recesses of our mind. In fact, just this morning as I sat in the gazebo, I closed my eyes. I cleared my mind. I took a deep breath. And I imagined I was there … with my love.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: No married man can understand what the bachelor does with his money.