Unlived Bohemian Dreams ....................................................by Bonnie Ramsburg

Unlived Bohemian Dreams

by Bonnie Ramsburg

I overheard my mom telling either my dad or my grandmother that she’d always wanted an orange Volkswagen bus.

I didn’t happen to catch the reason why, but I thought to myself, “Awww… how cute!”

A few days later, mom and I were out and about with my aunt. One of the stops that we made had an unexpected surprise; there was a Classic Car Show right beside it! While my aunt went to do her shopping, mom and I strolled through the cars, admiring them and their personalities (both of us are in agreement — cars nowadays have none!) and just soaking up the ambience of a time gone by.

All of a sudden, I saw a VW Bus! It wasn’t in picture-perfect shape; it was down to the gray color that cars have before they get painted. I pointed at it and said, “Hey mom! There’s a VW BUS!!!”

She looked at it and said, “I’ve always wanted an orange VW bus.”

I asked her why, just out of curiosity. Her answer left me a bit shocked; as it wasn’t something I would have ever thought about My MOM.

She said, “I’ve always wanted to own one and travel in it. I guess I wanted to be one of those hippie chicks.”

Hearing this, it sort of explains a few things. I think the need to be out and travel is what prompted many of our weekend/Sunday drives. It probably helps explain to me why she got so much joy out of a camping trip we took when my brother and I were younger (not so much me, I wasn’t allowed to read!) I think it also explains why mom and I will occasionally look at each other and say, “I just want to get in the car and GO!”

Unfortunately for mom, responsibilities started early in life for her, namely me, then six years later it was my brother. She never got to live that Bohemian dream of owning and traveling in an orange VW bus, she says that even after I was born, she still wanted one so that she and I could travel. Although if she could do it now: I’m not sure if she’d want the bus, or a full sized motor home instead. If I could do it, maybe I’d get the motor home and paint the sides to look like an Orange VW Bus. What do you think, Mom? Would that be okay?

Some grace for Grace

... that’s Bonnie’s mom

Time cannot dull the wistful way we think of youthful dreams. And burdens can’t quell our desires, hard as it sometimes seems. This Veedub bus is yours to keep, a token of affection. So jump in, turn the music up, and drive in some direction. Chase the sunset, camp outdoors, feel comfy and at home. And make your dreams come true each day, wherever you may roam. No matter what you didn’t do, no matter what you did, Just know you did a bang-up job of raising a great kid!