That's life

(An elderly woman sits on a rocking chair by a window, slowly rocking back and forth)
(Spot light on the woman in the rocking chair)
(She notices the audience, stops rocking and looks startled)
Oh! Hello.. I didn't see you there in the shadows, you gave me a fright. (She half smiles) I was miles away..
(She goes back to rocking on her chair, there's a silence)

It's not that I've had a bad life, I have done what every human being was put on this earth to do, I tried to lead as full a life as possible... Oh what fun we used to have when we were young (She chuckles) When we were young... (Short pause) Most of the years gone by seem like distant memories to me now. But still, I have served my purpose I think, to the best of my ability and have had a good life. As for regrets? Well, we all have a few... Would we be fully human if we didn't? (She smiles faintly) To be quite truthful, I have a few regrets too many... Perhaps if I was at the right place, at the right time, maybe if I had been nicer to my mother, not had such awful arguments with my friends, perhaps if I hadn't of let him go...
(There's a long silence and the woman starts to rock back and forth again)

My father, he always told me a life without passion, without love is a life half lived and I can sit here all night and tell you my stories, my fading memories, but I can't tell you of a life spent with someone I truly loved, no... A part of me has always felt somewhat, (She struggles to find the wordsempty, somewhat.. lonely. All alone in a room full of people..
I remember my mother, how beautiful she looked in that yellow summer's dress (She smiles to herself) I remember my father, how he looked at her with such adoring eyes.. You could see him looking at his whole world. He loved her, truly loved her...
(She puts on a deep voice, imitating a man's) "A life lived without love, is a life half lived" , he'd keep telling me.. Oh but I did love... A long, long time ago (she looks out the window) I must have just hit 16, and I remember the day I saw him as clear in my mind as if it was yesterday. I got lost you see, walking up the hilltops in the country side and at first, I was quite taken-aback when a boy- not much older than me it seemed- was running towards me! (She smiles at the memory) I have never seen such a sight, I wondered what all the fuss was about, and when he finally caught up to me, the first thing he said when he cought his breath was "Im sorry miss, but it's just that I've never seen a pair of blue eyes that shine as bright as yours" (She gives a short laugh) He told me he's William, at my service. He had my heart right there and then, I was hooked. We spent the day together, and the whole summer after that. It seemed there was no one else who understood me better... And the deep green of his eyes, ah, it was almost deep enough to drown in. I fell in love instantly, as many young hearts tend to do... But of course, the summer ended and we had to say our goodbyes.. The world doesn't wait for anyone, you see...
I have never told anyone about William, not even my husband, I did love my late husband of course, but it was more of a brotherly love, not a love filled with passion and desire, it was more of ( A pause) a deep friendship, and that was fine, I only married him because it seemed to be what my parents wanted, the finest gentleman around, what a great catch... Indeed he was, and we shared many happy times together but you see, William... (She smiles to herself) William was my first love. After all these years, I have never found a love so deep, so true... I have known passion, I have known such a love that could have been mistaken for obsession even, total adoration for another human being... (A long pause) A love, that lasted for one summer, and that summer lasted a lifetime in my heart. There's a silence
(The old woman falls silently still and glances down at her aging hands)
I have often thought of getting in contact with him, but weeks flew by, and then a month and before I knew it, 50 years have gone by and I haven't managed to pick up a pen and paper!
(She looks towards the audience)
No, I haven't had a bad life, I have done things that most people only dream of doing, but yet I wonder, was my life half-lived? Is a summer romance enough to fill a lonely heart still longing for true love..? (short pause)
Perhaps next life time, I will do things differently...
(She goes back to rocking slowly back and forth, while glancing out the window)

(The room fades to black)