Thinks By Me

Since the day I became his mom, my son has been what I would consider to be a "contented soul." As a baby, he was intent on his surroundings, but was pretty chill.  As a little boy, he could entertain himself for hours with toys or books.  He never nagged us to buy him things, he was always happy with a couple of close friends and he had just a few interests that he was devoted to.  I often worried that he would be so content, that he would go through life alone, not desiring to have a life partner. He always responded that if he ever found someone he liked, he would pursue a relationship, but he didn't need the social aspects of dating and companionship. My therapist once told me that was a sign of a healthy strong relationship with parents, and in moments of mom-guilt, I've revisited that. We were all thrilled the day a beautiful young woman walked in to our church on a Sunday morning, thinking she had been invited there. She had mistaken our church for another, but...

 Once upon a time, someone got offended by something I posted in jest, and I stopped blogging. I tried again once or twice, but the joy just wasn't in it. Thirteen years later, life has evolved, and although it's vaguely familiar, our kids are grown, and we are empty nesters besides the menagerie of animals we've adopted in order to cope with our incessant need to hover over some living being. In one short week, our Emergency Room RN daughter (who can no longer be called Little Chic) will be flying home to stand up at her brother's wedding (who still rightfully could be called Brainy Boy), to a girl who we would have picked ourselves if the choice had been ours. These days, I'm working full time in a school district and spending my free time divided between trying to be helpful to others and also trying not to get old. Looking back, my life these days is not at all what I imagined when I was in a 20-something newlywed. But I don't think you ever predict a clear ...