Beyond stressed...
....and 'tis the season I suppose. The moment finds us stressed as we seem to be caught in a revolving door spinning past the exit time and again. Two of our children have returned to their place of schooling, one is getting married tomorrow, another is traveling from Ohio to Mass., and yet another is homeless and on the streets. We've missed his umpteen collect calls this night from Arkansas and now that we are home, he has stopped calling. The youngest is in bed falling asleep to the anxious prattlings of his mom out here in the kitchen. I apologize for his worrying after me and he says, "Mom, you don't have to apologize...I know you're worried". We exchange "I love you's" while I type these words. An eight year old sage. My deepest wish is that our children can be happy and safe...more like a prayer...but once they are gone from under our roof we are helpless and can no longer protect them. It's funny, when children become adults, they no longer need you in the same way but how does one stop being a parent when that is what I have been the majority of my life? How do you stop worrying about their well-being?
Okay, 'nuf boo-hooing. I'm married to my best friend...he just didn't know how much of a 'Rock of Gibraltar' he would have to be at times. Together, though, we will see this through.