Month: February 2021

I had occasion to look for a product that I needed from a farm supply store, thinking the location of the store was way south on Broadway, a major street where I live.  Well, the store wasn’t there¸ south on Broadway.  I went into a coffee shop on south Broadway where “my store” wasn’t and asked a staff person if anyone knew where the farm store was located.  Fortunately, someone was able to tell me that it was west, way south on a road called Santa Fe.  I thanked her, chastised myself for not having the correct address, and headed for the farm store.

When I arrived at the turn off from Santa Fe, I immediately had to stop to wait for the road construction, there.  Finally, I was allowed to go forth and turn into the parking lot of the farm store.

— I wrote this article earlier this year (in September 2020), but I thought I would publish it, today. —

Have you had a child who is no longer alive?  Today is September 11, 2020 – 9/11.  Today, former Vice President Biden was talking with a 90-year-old woman about the loss of his first wife and of his children when he said, “It never goes away.”  The son of the 90-year-old woman was killed in the 9-11 attack on America.  “It never goes away.”  She agreed with Biden.  “It never goes away.”

A glioblastoma took the life of my second child about five years ago.  Diagnosed in January, her life was taken by November of that year.  What Biden and the woman said is true – it never goes away.

Really, what IS love?  How do we humans make that connection that is described as love?  Are we talking about God’s love?  Or, Shakespeare’s kind of love?  Or, the movie makers’ kind of love?  The definition of love seems to have changed over the eons of time.

Here is a computer definition of love – an intense feeling of deep affection.  For example, babies fill parents with feelings of love.  There are, of course, some similar words that relate to love.  Words like deep affection, tenderness, intimacy, endearment, idolization, worship … I could go on and on and on!

Fragile Skin.  A lot of us at our age have fragile skin.  We see them in theatres, restaurants, church, the grocery store – everywhere.  Even before I took the anticoagulant medicine, the back of my hands looked as if someone had taken a sledge hammer to them.

And, my arms.  Splotches of bruise from elbow to wrist.  Other parts of my skin with the same splotches.  Age spots, some say.  Running into doors, bumping against the bedstead, or the kitchen faucet.  Spots come and spots go.  Some stay longer than others.  And, it seems that as soon as one spot fades, another one shows up.

The worst, though, is when you look down at your hand or arm, wrist or knee and see the blood dripping down your skin away from the wound that you didn’t even know was there.  So, off you go to the bathroom or where ever you keep your bandages or tissues to stop the flow.  Sometimes, if you’re lucky, there will be someone there who can help you put on the bandage.