Miss Hannah
Living Life On Her Own Terms
“This actually encapsulates me really well…a mug commemorating my signature character, Little Miss Sunshine in hand, and a biography about Oscar Wilde in arm, and a cat scarf around my neck. Me, in a nutshell.”
~ Miss Hannah ~
This morning, as I got off of the elevator, on the third floor of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, in Hartford Connecticut, I thought: Oh, I am going to have to tell Miss Hannah about this place, the drive is not too far, and the second Saturday of the month, admission is free from 10-1.
Sitting in the car, for the drive to Maine, I have turned on my computer, planning to write; I begin by getting on-line, reading headlines, check mail, and of course go to social media, where Miss Hannah has posted pictures from her day in London. If ever there was a person who should be strolling down English streets, it is Miss Hannah, my niece.
Before Hannah left on her trip to England and the Continent, I had the privilege of gathering with my family and Miss Hannah’s beau and his grandmother, to watch him propose to Hannah, who said yes – indeed.
I remember the day I found out that my sister, Caroline, was pregnant with Miss Hannah; and I remembering taking the train from California to Boston, to see Doug and Caroline, who had that glow expectant mothers have, they were so happy Hannah would be joining their family. She was born on Valentine’s Day, and she and her Mother soon traveled west, for Hannah and the family to meet. The first time I saw Hannah was at the Los Angeles International Airport, an appropriately good sign for us both.
As a little girl, whenever I would see Hannah, she would run toward me with open arms, filling my heart with love, warmth, and happiness. She was always bright, loved to read, and to explore.
One of the most poignant conversations I ever had with anyone, was held with Miss Hannah when she around three years old. After having played on the swing set, at her house, we sat down on the front steps, to chat; an airplane flew overhead, and I said: Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to fly that high, not in a plane, but like a bird. The little three year old turned to me, as if I was the silliest person in the world, and said: “Auntie, you will get to fly like that when you fly to heaven.” I was amazed and still am!
Lately, all of my friends have listened to me share stories about Hannah, in the way one does when talking about delightful three year olds, she has been having that kind of year; and I am feeling not like a proud auntie, as there are no bows for me to take, but as a very pleased auntie, who has been privileged to watch this little baby become a remarkable woman – thus I hope you too will indulge me.
The year began with her quitting her dream job, which had turned into a nightmare, not so much because of how she was treated, but rather because she took issues with the way her colleagues were being treated and decided to battle on behalf of those she felt were voiceless. I am sure a better auntie would have told her not to quit one job until she found another or that instead of taking on someone else’s fight, she could offer to support them in a less corporate –America threatening fashion, and protect her job security; but how insincere would that be?
Perhaps simply because I was able to spend more time with Miss Hannah, than in the past, but as the year started to advance, I noticed that she was also evolving. Reading her facebook post, which she already knows have made me cringe, in the past, with raw, straight forward, honest to the point of vulnerability matter of factness, I would often take a deep breath and hope her notes to her future husband, mind you, she had not even met him, at that point, would one day be well received; and then think, well who knows, maybe this way she will get what she actually wants in that future husband, instead of settling for someone who is only half of a wish list.
I also noticed her expressing ideas, which given her ultra-conservative upbringing and education, would be frowned on by her family, but which, at the very least, thrilled me to the point of feeling like I am not alone – honestly, I come from a family of very strong, independent, intelligent women, and Hannah and I are the only two feminist – welcome Miss Hannah, and thank you for getting the true and big picture!
Hannah traveled west, after landing another job, to Arizona, for her paternal – Grandmother’s memorial service, on the sixth month anniversary of her death. (I should add that Hannah’s Grandmother Marlene was a grand, brilliant, powerful, adventurous, voracious reader, who adored Hannah and her cousins, and was a feminist too! In fact, that is a definition which applies to both of Hannah’s grandmothers.) From Arizona, Hannah and her parents traveled to California, which she loved. When she came back, she told me that she was going to go back, when she was old enough to rent a car, and drive Pacific Coast Highway, oh, be still my heart – yes, yes, yes, I thought!
It has been wonderful to witness her boldness and determination, she is a young woman of very deep faith, who has faced her own challenges, yet who managed to plot a course, for her life, that did not conflict with her faith or her dreams and desires – waters which are not easy to navigate. Hannah was ready for love, but she wanted love on her own terms, thus she went out on a few dates, but was unwilling to compromise her standards, and let the boys just go by the wayside, as she bought her tickets for Europe, a journey she had dreamed about for years – 2015 seems to be Hannah’s year to make dreams reality.
Making plans for the trip she is now enjoying, she asked her maid of honor to be, about a man, in a picture. The Maid of honor to be mentioned Hannah’s interest in the man, to a mutual friend, so the man, Tim, reached out to Hannah, and they began the process of getting to know each other. A few weeks into their electronic friendship, Tim said something to the point that there was no point in going forward, without knowing how they felt about each other, they had to meet. Tim thus made plans to come to Massachusetts, to meet Hannah and the family.
By the end of Tim’s week in Massachusetts, and several meetings with Doug, Hannah’s father, who I think laid down the law, Hannah and Tim were courting, and that was in June of this year.
A month later, we were all standing on a dark beach, in New Hampshire, drinking sparkling cider and toasting the newly engaged Hannah and Tim!
In one of Hannah’s post, from England, Hannah has announced that she will be going back to school, when she returns to the States, more congratulations! She will also head to Florida, for the first time, to meet Tim’s family, before her wedding, at the end of the year. Yes, I know it is soon, but why wait, they both know what they want.
It has been quite a year for Miss Hannah, and honestly, at this point, if I hear that she has been nominated for the Nobel Prize, won an Oscar, or is going to the International Space Station, I would not be surprised; and I would know that she is doing it all on her own terms. She knows who she is and what she wants, and is not sitting back waiting for someone else to make her happy and give her fulfilment, she is going out there, taking the world on, and insisting that it adapt to her, not the other way around. I want to wish you all of the happiness in the world Miss Hannah; may every day of your life be lived to the fullest and without regret, God bless you. That Is All For Now.
