Morning T,
Happy Halloween! Another Halloween with no Halloween plans. No one will be coming here for candy(all good!) and yes, I have dinner plans but just dinner, no costumes.
I don’t know exactly when I became a Halloween Scrooge. Probably when I tried teaching on October 31. It was fine with my 8th graders but the older kids drove me crazy, begging to get out of class to hang out in the halls with seniors- the only kids allowed to dress up. It was a crazy day.
Once I was out of school on Halloween, it was just another day for us… and that continues… but this year that’s the last thing on my mind. This year it’s all about my dad.
This year my dad has moved from the back to the front of my mind. He’s still here with us but he is fading. I’m sure he’d rather make his exit more like you did, but he’s here and still himself. Every morning I call and we talk as always. Short conversations, still, but he still knows me, still asks how I’m doing, still calls me “doll”. So even though he has almost no independence, he is still home, has 24/7 caregivers and regular visits from us.
But I realize that even though I’m calm and accepting about the fact that this is his last days, weeks or months, I am holding my breath. This won’t make the coming finality of my dad any easier. Death, funeral, shiva, mourning… loss.
It’s coming and like my dad, I will enter a new phase of life…
Aging is tough.
I miss you T. My dad misses you.
Bonnie S.
Digital Bonnie 
Hi Bonnie, I haven’t read a post from you in a while, &r FB keeps me seeing what’s happening a little. Yes, getting older means lots of goodbyes, and I’m sorry for you seeing your dad fading, glad you’re still talking every day. Hugs to you, & have a nice dinner out on this spooky day!
Life gets harder and harder as we age and have to say good-bye to our loved ones. I hate this! I know you do too. I know you are savoring every last moment with your dad. Hugs to you!
Saying good-bye to someone is never easy. Unfortunately, it is something we all have to go as we progress through life. Cherish the memories you have and can still make. Will keep you in my thoughts.
Bonnie, another chapter in your life …Such a reflective piece!
Yes, aging is tough. I’m fascinated by the ways we connect moments, such as a holiday to a personal experience.
Yes, aging is tough. As I get older, I’m increasingly fascinated by the ways we connect moments, such as a holiday w/ a personal experience.
You are so right, knowing it is coming doesn’t make it any easier. The daily conversations, however short, will be sweet memories. Aging is a challenge. The missing is so hard.
My mom and dad are in similar straights. At home. But aging rapidly. It is a hard thing to bear witness to. My thoughts are with you.