My Life on a Plate

Family Matters

I don't know how many of you have read David McClain 's beautiful entry about December 25th 1965, but if you haven't I recommend you do. Maybe if you're old enough like me, your mind flashed back to that year and thought of what you were doing at the time. If you're not old enough, then I hate you. lol

I don't remember that particular December 25th for any specific reason but I do recall what state I was in at the time. I was in WUB. The man of my dreams had walked into my life six weeks earlier and I was smitten. I guess all thoughts of my family, my friends, schoolwork and social activities flew out of my wickle brain as I walked around in a haze of passion and future dreams.

For ten years I fell in and out of WUB with that man and vice versa. It didn't work out ultimately and the last time I saw him was in the year 2001 at a school reunion with his third wife. We chatted for a long time about old times, regrets and what might have been. Two years later he passed away suddenly, but I will never forget him.

It made me think about my son and the situation we find ourselves in. Okay, he's ten years older than I was at that time, but we all know men mature at a slower rate than women. (ducking to avoid missiles) But he's still young and to my knowledge not been swept off his feet by WUB before. He's far from home, but I know the way he's feeling about his 'lady' despite the very unusual and rather frightening circumstances. That feeling of never wanting to be parted from someone is something easily forgotten after many years of marriage, but if I take myself back to 1965 I can rekindle it.

When I look at photographs of him with this stranger who looks like she'd fit in his pocket, my emotions range from one extreme to the other. Contact is difficult - phone conversations are limited, distorted by static, delay and echo and e-mails often misunderstood as even the gentlest words can be misconstrued when there is no tone of voice. But one thing we have established is that we are still the same people as we were before he left, our relationship will not be ruined whatever happens and we can work this through.

I still cannot condone what he plans to do. I still believe he will have many problems to deal with and that he is making a huge mistake. But I'm not saying it any more as there is little point when he feels so in WUB and determined to carry out his plans. No one can predict the future, so there is little point worrying excessively about it. It's difficult; one of the hardest situations I've ever had to deal with but I am trying to come to terms with it.

What happens next I have no idea. He may continue to travel with his new wife if the wedding goes ahead in January. It's all very vague and distorted right now. At some stage in the future I hope he'll return to England and we can adjust to these very difficult and demanding circumstances. But there I go again - looking to the future is a waste of energy. One thing is for sure though - WUB will see us through the worst of circumstances.

Excuse my sombre mood. This morning my 92-year-old mother-in-law was admitted to hospital with chest pains. This afternoon I had a phone call from my writing class pal informing me she's left her husband. It seems yet again Humbug is going to be a rather sad and anxious time. Nothing I can do to alter the situation though, but just tick over and find distractions.

Speaking of which - if anyone would like to design any graphics or offer me advice on how to get them into WDC for The C*******s edition of the Blogville News I'd be very grateful. That task is driving me to distraction.