What Do You See?

I love this picture.

I haven't a clue who they are, but look at them.

What do you see?

Three old ladies sharing a laugh over a drink?

If that's what you thought, you probably are right.

Because that is what a normal person would see.

Allow me to share with you a tiny bit of what it's like to be me. I can't just look at this picture and see a simple laugh being shared among friends. My mind is constantly turning and never shuts off. Here is how it goes...When I look at the first lady on the left, I think that she probably has worked hard all her life. Her hands look like they have scrubbed many floors, peeled a thousand potatoes and rocked many babies to sleep. Her husband has probably passed on and not only are her children grown, but her grandchildren are grown as well. They all live close by and take turns picking her up for the holidays. She is loved. She lives alone and has two or three cats curled up right now on her bed, just waiting for her to come home. Or maybe one of those little dogs that yip and yap all the time. She likes to cuss and shock people. She is really enjoying herself and will probably have two or three more drinks because life is short damit, and she deserves it. The middle lady is probably married with three or four grown children. Her husband is at home sleeping in front of the T.V., waiting for her to come home. She is the one who everyone in the family comes to, when they need something. She uses humor to keep peace in the family. She is loud and funny. She looks the happiest of the group, but she's not as happy as she looks. She is tired and wishes her family would take responsiblity for themselves and not depend on her so much. When she gets home, she will wake up her husband, fix him and herself a sandwich which they will eat in silence in front of the T.V., before they shuffle off to bed. She will hold a pillow over her ears most of the night, because her husband's snoring drives her crazy, but she doesn't have the heart to make him sleep in the guest room. The lady on the right. She looks lonely and stressed. Her husband has probably passed on recently and she has two grown children who live in another state. They don't visit often. She tells herself and her friends that her children are very busy with their careers and she is proud of them. Her children don't respect her or appreciate all she has done and given up for them. They think she is clingy and wishes she would "get a life." Her whole married life was spent taking care of her children and her husband. She was the perfect mom and the perfect wife. She doesn't know how to be anything else. Now she doesn't know what to do with herself. So she eats. She has gained 15 pounds, but has not purchased any larger size clothes. She tells herself it's just a little bloating. She just needs to use a lighter hand with the salt shaker. Her friends talked her into going out tonight, but she wishes she would have stayed home. She wants to join in with the laughter at the table, but is afraid if she laughs too much, people will think she is being disrepectful to her late husband. She tried on several outfits that afternoon, all of them are still laying on the bed and a few are laying in piles on the floor. She finally decided on the dress she wore when her husband took her to Palm Springs for a business conference, seven years ago. It's tight, but it's the only one that would button. She will hang the clothes back up as soon as she gets home. 

There. That is what I see. That is how I see things all the time. Welcome to my mind. Always looking at the big picture. Now, go back and look at the picture again. Do you see it now? Told ya.

P.S.

I also see a short happy version. Three old ladies sharing a laugh over drinks.
Well, I am a little normal, ya know.