“Keep me in your heart for a while. Hold me in your thoughts,
take me to your dreams”. -- Warren Zevon
I was looking for probiotics in Whole Foods today (because you need things like that when you're 66...) and I came across a bottle of Swiss Kriss tablets. I was immediately struck with memories of Kathryn, my first Mother-in-Law. That may not sound so good, a “natural laxative” reminds me of my former MIL? No, not bad at all she was a very progressive woman, ahead of her times. She was using natural supplements and following good nutrition guidelines before it was the “thing to do”. She would have fit right in at Whole Foods today among the yoga socks and oat milk. I had popped in to get "some" fruit, fresh flowers and the aforementioned probiotic. Over one hundred dollars later, I left with 2 small bags -- she would not have liked that part.
It's true that those who pass away live on in our memories. The Swiss Kriss memory led me to another about the beach she lived near many years ago in Ft. Lauderdale. Do you think those who are gone know we think of them? I remembered my nephew, a small boy, Kathryn’s grandson, or as he called her “Granny”. I was so fond of him. He is a grown man now and I am ashamed to say that he and his wife moved quite near me some months ago. Did he get a job with the State Department? All this happened while I was going through a tough knee replacement recovery and a bout with cancer. I just couldn’t muster the energy to connect with him at that time. I should do so soon. He would love that I still think about "Granny"...
All this caused me to email, my ex-husband, to tell him the story and the news that none of his old friends have recently died. We get along quite well and it has nothing to do with us being 1,200 miles apart. Our parting was amicable and we enjoy catching up from time to time.
I have this need lately to reach out to people I care about, to stay in touch. I was staffing a table at a "Book Fest" this past weekend (for a group I belong to) and I remembered my old boss lived nearby. I sent him an email invite and was so touched when he showed up. We talked about the old days and how we shared the same sense of humor. I said, “You changed my life.” We marveled at the fact that April marked my 19th year of retirement. It was a good conversation and we hugged.
Perhaps my keen awareness of mortality this past year has caused me to tell people the important things I want them to know. My former boss really did change my life. I will always be grateful to him for taking a chance on me and giving me a job I really wanted (in spite of my lack of a "J"* school degree). I think he was pleased to hear it, maybe I’d never told him and even if I had I think he was glad to hear it again.
I’m just saying
*Journalism
My mom, Audrey Tunick Soll, would love to talk with you.
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