It's amazing when you come up with a plan that has about five contingencies for it to happen and they all work out according to what my convoluted and creative mind comes up with on occasion. I'm in the middle of something similar to this at my workplace, so it must just be the stage I'm in right now. Anyway, somehow I managed to end up at my house ALONE for the next couple of days. I don't feel guilty (yet) about it this time either because the boys are busy with adventure going to fun water & amusement parks during this time. Family and friends are also surrounding them for support and shared responsibility.
As for me, I assigned myself of taking my Great Aunts to the airport this morning. It gave us a chance to spend some quality time talking and catching up which has not happened much over my 32+ years. It's interesting to hear an elderly person's perspective about life and family, especially being at a significantly different stage of my life. These two are the younger sisters of my grandmother who is an extremely impressive and active woman of 83 years.
This morning was preceded by a "15 year" high school reunion for me last night. I had not attended the 5 or 10 year event and none of the few folks that I keep in touch with from this stage in my life would willingly come along to the event either. I curiously went anyway and really did enjoy myself. I figured that I have now been out of highschool longer than I was in it and I am definitely in "a different and better place" and this is not my ego talking. Most everyone else that I spoke with was too. Sharing joys, tragedies, having a common recollection or one spawning that you didn't know was still stored in your head can't usually happen just anywhere around anyone. It was a long time that you share this environment which can be viewed both with the good and bad. It's not about how successful you think you or what someone else thinks, it was about caring about other people. We spent so much time together and were then suddenly dispersed in June of 1989. I found it reassuring to learn about the curves and turns others have taken to get them where they are right now. I admit that is taken me a long time to reach this point, the point of caring enough just to show up. Having someone remember who you are and say "I always remember this about you" or "this makes me think of you". It's funny to consider the lasting impression you leave (sometimes unknowingly) vs. what you choose to keep or hold onto yourself.
