Dear 25 Year Old Arlene,
My memories of my 25th year. In 1957 I had been married 4 years and had a 3 year old son. I had been living in England since 1955. I was expecting my second son who was born November 26th 1957 and in June of 1958 I returned as a family of four to live in the Riverdale section of New York City. What an exciting age and stage. I had travelled all over Europe, Great Britain, and even went to Israel. What a different world it was then. Freedom wasn’t being single. Freedom was having your own household with someone to love and that the two of you could do whatever you wanted and could be together for always. I was very lucky to have met the right man who loved and encouraged me. We grew together in so many ways.
What advice would I like to give to you, 25 year old Arlene. Go, do, enjoy. Life goes by quickly and can end too soon. At one time I might have said I wished I waited to have children, but from hind-sight it was a blessing. I was young enough to enjoy seeing my children married and raising their children, my grandchildren. In today’s world, my grandchildren are also traveling. Hopefully enjoying but in ‘gangs’ drinking too much and missing out on the enjoyment of a meaningful lasting relationship. If I didn’t have a baby in 1954, I would have missed out on the opportunity to spend 3 years in England and do all I did. We needed to support our child and Ed joined the air force and we saw the world at 25. What a wonderful life I had. I miss Ed every day but everything I am and have today is because of him.
Love,
Arlene
