Sunday, April 27, 2008

Sunday - reflections


Being on planes for about 20 hours in the last two weeks gives me time to listen to books and to doodle.  I got this great new sketchbook that I bought on line at Etsy, and have been taking it with me everywhere. It's so great, lots of different kinds of paper in one book, handy size, interesting looking with little pockets in the front and back and an elastic band.  

Anyway, I started doodling after being in Florida last week with my folks and just let my mind go where it wanted to.  I ended up with my little line drawing people, with entwined arms.  Working on it yesterday on the plane home I realized how much this is about my mom and dad - together for almost 60 years - maybe a handful of nights apart in that time.  Devoted, yet real human emotions always showing thru.     Determined to bring up their kids with good educations and give them great starts in life, and they did what they had to do to get us there. Always lived in apartments until they bought their own house 15 years ago, - all in all, a very loving, and quite lively, couple. 
I think that Mom still hopes that Dad will "get better" but don't think he will this time.  His looks remind me of a post that Ellis did on IFN - an old man in a hospital -  minus the tube so far, but very similar.   To give him his due, the man has survived polio, diptheria, three types of cancer, broken hip and back,  and is 94 years old.  He's had his innings, but as I said to FY - it doesn't matter if he is old, young or whatever - he's still my dad - and when he goes I will mourn and miss him terrible. 

But until then...he will happily have his scotch every afternoon and enjoy that as long as he can. 

8 comments:

switch said...

sending prayers to you all.

sukipoet said...

Sound like wonderful parents you have. Many blessings as they journey toward the end of life as we know it. 94 is pretty awesome, esp for a man as they often die earlier than women. My dad died a year and a half ago at 86 and I do miss him. He was always rooting for me.

Thinking of you and them as you work out home health care plans. Namaste, Suki

Teri said...

You are blessed to still be enjoying them. Isn't it funny how doodles end up meaning something so significant?!

Kerstin Klein said...

lovely post. so you finally received your italian journal. can´t wait to see more of it.

Michele Degani said...

Your parents sound like wonderful people. I'm so sorry your Dad isn't doing well. I'll add him to my prayer list ... it keeps getting longer and longer.

soulbrush said...

he has survived a helleva lot, but he is still here and still 'fighting the good fight' and that's all that counts, blessings and hugs and lotsa wfs to you during this worrying time.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Wow 94. Thats amazing after all he went thru. Yes all that FY said. Hugs and lotsa wfs.

Debra Kay said...

Human goodbyes are complex and long, but that is what we are and if we didn't have them we'd mourn the lack of them.