yahoo photo by scenicreflections.
Elissa’s apartment is small and cozy, and it’s only one block down the street from mine. One block! She just had her apartment
painted, too, a nice lemon yellow, with a rich dark blue trim on the doorways. It looks great. It’s loaded with her favorite furniture, art objects, paintings, and books. I helped her unload some boxes and was thrilled to see she has some of Loren’s books, some of his favorites. It brought tears to my eyes, just holding them. And oh yes, she has lots of toys, stuffed animals, and books for her grandson, my great-grandson, Philip. One day he'll read Loren's books.
The neat thing is how close we are, including geographically. It’s been a long time since
The neat thing is how close we are, including geographically. It’s been a long time since
I’ve been so near to her and to my daughter Michelle, who’s only a 10 minute car ride away, at most. When my grandkids Alli and Josh are at their dad’s, they are within walking distance to my place and to their Aunt Elissa’s. We are all in Sylvania!
This is the closest we've been since I moved away from Toledo in 1985, 26 years ago, to take a job in the Washington, DC area. I never thought I’d be moving back this way. I lived in Washington for almost 20 years, and loved my Dupont Circle neighborhood. My last home was in St. Petersburg, Florida. I loved the weather, the tropical flowers and palms, the nearness to the Bay (Tampa Bay) and the ocean (the Gulf of Mexico), and the downtown location of my condo.
When I left for Ukraine, I thought I’d go back there, back to the Land of Sunshine. But then, during my time in Starobelsk, I changed my mind. It seeped into my consciousness that I had options. I made the decision to move up North. Perhaps part of it was re-acclimating to the four seasons of my childhood and young adulthood, re-discovering the joys of the changing seasons and the fact that I could survive the winter. Mostly it was to be nearer to my family.
My daughters and I have all "grown, evolved and changed," as my brother Loren would put it. Family conflicts are mostly resolved. We know no one can disturb our serenity unless we let them. We take responsibility for our own lives, our own decisions. The boundaries are clearer. If there's a conflict, we can deal with it. Mostly our attitudes are positive and upbeat.
This is the closest we've been since I moved away from Toledo in 1985, 26 years ago, to take a job in the Washington, DC area. I never thought I’d be moving back this way. I lived in Washington for almost 20 years, and loved my Dupont Circle neighborhood. My last home was in St. Petersburg, Florida. I loved the weather, the tropical flowers and palms, the nearness to the Bay (Tampa Bay) and the ocean (the Gulf of Mexico), and the downtown location of my condo.
When I left for Ukraine, I thought I’d go back there, back to the Land of Sunshine. But then, during my time in Starobelsk, I changed my mind. It seeped into my consciousness that I had options. I made the decision to move up North. Perhaps part of it was re-acclimating to the four seasons of my childhood and young adulthood, re-discovering the joys of the changing seasons and the fact that I could survive the winter. Mostly it was to be nearer to my family.
My daughters and I have all "grown, evolved and changed," as my brother Loren would put it. Family conflicts are mostly resolved. We know no one can disturb our serenity unless we let them. We take responsibility for our own lives, our own decisions. The boundaries are clearer. If there's a conflict, we can deal with it. Mostly our attitudes are positive and upbeat.
It’s a Mother's Day dream. It's the time I always prayed would come before I crossed over life's border. I think the most important thing is that I have changed, so that I could help make this happen. I'm still working on it, "letting go and letting God," one day at a time, but it's easier.
It's the best Mother's Day gift ever, and we will share the joy at my place this year. Amazing grace! Happy Mother's Day!
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