Milestones on a Lifeline – A Poem that sums up my life….so far…
by Barb (Schulz/Boksz) Harbula, Ph.D.
Came into this world Mid-Century,
Put my parents life in a flurry.
In 52, the single child became two,
And in 56, they added one more to the mix.
In 58, during a great blizzard,
They were challenged with the health of my new little sister.
In 64, I moved through the Elementary Catholic school doors,
To open the High School gates
To life in 68.
By 72, Towson pushed me to start a career that was new,
And I ended 73, married blissfully.
In 76, we became Harford County hicks,
But in 77, Daddy went to heaven.
In 81, parenting became fun,
And kept us constantly on the run.
By 88, Nana went through the pearly gates,
And a daughter we did meet before we moved to Street.
At Joppatowne, the year 89 opened my cyber lifeline,
Although it was at Dublin I explored the cyber mine.
In 91, the feminine strife was done,
As we added a cute fuzzy faced one.
By 95, JHU made my cyberlife come alive,
Spreading the cyber mine to Scribes Online in 99.
The last odd day of the century, sent Earl to his destiny,
While I spent the first day of the millennium talking to global friends on my Pentium.
Wings were spread in 2001, with Lorraine heading to her eternal rest,
And us forming wagon trains heading west.
In 2002, we added someone new,
Making us grandparents true.
In 2003, Fuzzy face was free
To join those with a done destiny,
While we sailed to Alaska on our 30th anniversary.
In 2004, we saw both our kids and grandkid more,
Than we’d seen them in years,
But sadly one shed many tears.
While currently the knowledge is getting Piled Higher and Deeper,
Let’s hope I finish before I meet the great reaper.
In 2005, we spread our living quarters between the high desert and Mile High, while our grandson became alive.
While in 2006, I traveled from shore to shore, and was very poor,
Yet ended where I started caring for a loved one.
As 2006 changed to 2007, Karen made herself known causing a huge crack in the marital bliss,
yet awakening my senses to the hopes of a long forgotten kiss.
In 2008, searching out on old love brought kisses and more,
then that love brought lots of stuff to store.
In 2010, I became a married woman again,
with lots of love and contentment.
Went to Niagara on the honeymoon,
Lost a passport and cell phone,
and traveled by the clickety-clank of train wheels to get back home,
But got back to life and research way too soon.
In 2012, as Dr. Barb I reached that goal so beat the reaper,
But he’s threatening Mom as we try to keep her.
As Dr. Barb spread her wings in 2013 to become an award winning teacher,
the district at first tossed her out, then decided to keep her.
In 2014, double foot surgery kept her home, and brought 3 more back to the family,
so the decision was made to retire
and she’s moved on to light other fires.
In 2015, the full house slowly emptied out, with the marriage mate leaving first to save his stuff and my sanity.
The daughter left next due to behavior caused by chemical insanity.
The grandkids stayed for six more months but in 2016 finally settled in Uniontown with their paternal family.
In 2016, a sibling and spouse filled the resulting void and helped to stretch a dime,
And court visits about custody, financial challenges, and divorce filled the time.
Left alone in 2017, I’ve spread my wings to become a social butterfly,
And finally able to set the rules for me to retire by.
In 2018, Mom joined Dad in Heaven, and I’m sure they are playing Bridge,
Along with solitaire with the rest of the Habula clan.
Her departure left me downsizing in 2019 and selling my house and land,
To be able to move to Dover and figure out a real retirement plan.
2020 found me traveling to Nashville and New Orleans and other places afar,
but a quarantine encouraged me in completing a memoir.
2021 found me volunteering with Contact Tracing, as things open up from the pandemic some more. While beloved #3 of the four, left this earth to enter the heavenly door, but is in pain and suffering no more.
The fall of ’21 and all of ’22, brought love found on my doorstep,
but led to heartbreak in early ’23, leaving me alone again and bereft.
Now it’s off to writing more fiction, while I still have a plan, and before I get old enough to lose my memories.
This poem will continue to grow as milestones come and go,
And life blows us to and fro,
As I work through my life’s lease,
And strive to reach my final peace.
