Well, when we first met, we were half the people that we are now. Finding someone I could love this much when I was just 18 is a pretty rare and amazing thing and I never take it for granted for a moment. We had so many dreams that we used to talk about as we carpooled to those first college classes back in 1982 and the strange thing is that all of those dreams have come true. We have raised two incredible young Men, we have travelled and taught and loved and fought and made up and kept going. Now we are back where we started, a couple on our own, in the uncharted waters, for us, of dealing with aging parents with weaker by the day, health issues and new grandchildren, and sons who didn’t see us as perfect parents and so have to learn to be their own guides now. We have had to go through another lonely Thanksgiving and Christmas even more depressing than the ones just after we got married. We had to go camping with just us, and find conversation through 3,000 mile road trips without anyone interrupting. We still have less stability than we should, we are in debt and not seeing a way to keep up on the maintenance that out old house and cars need. We have moments of being scared and lonely and wondering what the future holds, but every night when I drift off to sleep I still hear him breathing beside me, and that makes everything good.
A really touching story of empty nest and pressing forward with challenges no one told you about when you were young. Good for you and your sterling effort with self stories - I only tried it twice - so all praise to you for pressing on with what takes time and soul searching,
It is an odd point in time- letting the kids go and hoping they'll remember you did your best- and getting back to the "beginning" of yourselves as a couple knowing full well you are not the same people as you were then! But it's still fun and like you said, being together is the best part.
I have just stayed up later than I should have reading through your September stories and pictures. I don't know why I wasn't following you before. I've corrected that omission now.
Oh Dixie I have enjoyed this journey with you through life. May the future pathways you follow unfold gently and you and your sole mate enjoy many more years of the ups and downs of life in happiness with less and less of the stresses and challenges that have punctuated your life to date. Thanks for sharing your inspirational journey to date.
October 8th, 2014
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