PRE-SOLSTICE

By Larry & Arlene on Dec 6, 2019 in Blog | 5 comments

  Awaiting the Solstice  It is now only been a short time since we have returned to Ascoli and are, once more, comfortably installed in our apartment. I say, ‘comfortably’ with the caveat that with age, overcoming ‘Jet Lag’ seems to take longer. The ‘Jet Lag’ is a result of a little over three-week trip to return to the U.S. for some important, personal visits and to take care of a few logistical matters. Although we were last in the U.S. in January of this year, we had a sense that Arlene’s mother’s health status may have become more complex, and my older brother is in process of dealing with the aftermath of several strokes. We also wanted to see our three daughters and as much of their families as might be available now that the ‘grandchildren’ are all young adults starting out in varying degrees of independence on their own. The visits were an uplifting mixture of that special experience of being in each other’s presence that no amount of electronic, ‘virtual communication’ can provide. Additionally, there is also that more immediate realization that some less than desirable developments are occurring in the lives of people we care about, over which we have no control. This is an all too common dilemma in the later stages of life in transitioning from attempting to be the ever-present problem solver to stepping back into still caring but recognizing one is no longer a viable, solution resource you wish you could be. A two week visit in the San Diego area also permitted seeing some old friends and catching up. A special affirmation is experienced in being around people you have known and cared about for a long time and no amount of physical distance can diminish the feelings of affection. There was also a strange sensation of driving around in a place in which we had previously lived but no longer do. Some old mental files were dusted off and it seemed, at least most of the time, I knew exactly how to drive to where we needed to go. But underneath it all, I felt very much like a stranger in a very familiar place. It seems I have...