A Happy Place

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Balloons

A balloon drifts past me on the patio near the pool. ED asserts it is my mother, who appears in the form of balloons occasionally. Immediately after her death, she regularly locked our security door, as she did in life.

She died seven years ago yesterday. Although 96, she wasn’t ready to die; she loved living.

School

The school year of COVID is complete. Although the boys began virtual learning at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the entire 2020-2021 season was an eclectic mix of styles: in person, virtual, asynchronous, masked, in quarantine, socially distanced. These are words that were not applied to the educational system when I was a student.

Now, Mowgli has graduated elementary school receiving a much-deserved diligence award. Blue Boy is moving into his junior year of high school. Both boys will be participating in summer golf anticipating the school golf team in the fall. My mother shows her joy by floating past on a pink balloon.

Healthy

Our immune systems have survived mild bouts of COVID as well as double vaccines of Pfizer. We are beginning to socialize with friends and family, embracing each other with joy. While continuing to take care in public, we are relaxed in our private spaces.

A new granddaughter has brought an immense amount of delight to our family. My mother would have been ecstatic. Perhaps the reason for the balloons.

Peace

We are humbled by our privileges not least all our children employed during the trials of the past year.

Many friends have been lost, mostly due to the effects of aging. Now, we can meet with their families to grieve.

My life is a testament to the hills and valleys, joys and sorrows of living. I have experienced enough to enjoy this time of remarkable peace.

There goes a multi-colored balloon. The orange balloon drops lightly into the pool. Mom, I know you were uncomfortable swimming. Why don’t you get out?

The balloon floats toward the steps before it is lifted by the breeze into the air.

The temperature is a perfect 81^o. The wind through the palms mimics waves on a beach.

I’m in my happy place.