Just Sharing

 
 
Just sharing something today.

 

A very long time ago, I must have been 6 or 7; we had a large jigsaw puzzle at home with a fall theme. It was a typical American house (or at least what I thought was a typical American house) on a winding country lane, surrounded by trees, during fall. A white picket fence surrounded the lawn. I cannot find the actual image, but it was similar to this.

 

 

For a 6 year old, in a time when TV consisted of only two channels in black and white, and no emissions before 6 PM, everything in Dutch of course, this colorful puzzle really captured my imagination. This is what America looked like, I thought.

 

And they say that images and experiences made before the age of 12, 13, are the longest lasting one. These will eventually make up your cultural identity. Making jigsaw puzzles was a winter activity. It’d be dark by the time you got home from school, too cold, windy or rainy to play outside, and so we’d puzzle. I have warm memories of those days, because these would be the days it was warm and light inside, dark and gloomy outside, and the holiday season was up and coming, with Saint Nicholas and Christmas.

 

 

And so, fall, trees in colors, country lanes, white picket fences and blowing leaves always make me happy;  almost like that puzzle. I know, a little on the mushy & kitsch side, but they remind me of those days.

The Lebanese landscape is totally different; very few white picket fences to be had. But now and then, I stumble upon one. And then when it happens to be fall, and the wind is blowing the leaves around, then it’s perfect.

 

Just sharing.